Blade Dance DxD
by Kinji Takakura
Summary: In the past, Kazehaya Kamito was an assassin, specialized in killing Devils. Now, he is a servant of Rias Gremory, fighting for her alongside his new friends. How did such events come to be and how will it affect them in the future? And how will Kamito deal with his own obliviousness with the fact that every girl he comes into contact with fall for him? KamitoxHarem. Slight AU.
1. Life 0

Hi everyone, Kinji here with a new crossover, this time a cross between High School DxD and Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance.

In my personal opinion, I like Kamito. What can I say? I find main characters with a dark past to them pretty damn cool. I mean, trained as an assassin at a young age? That's just badass. That's what motivated me to make this fic. Well that and I was planning a crossover with High School DxD anyways.

This is just something that I came up with while letting my imagination go wild and bouncing around with ideas.

In the end, I came up with this. While it takes place in the High School DxD universe, there are some AU elements involved when trying to fit Kamito into the story. Let me know what you think of it.

I try to avoid mistakes like OoC in my characters so if there's anything off how about how the characters act, lemme know so I can look into it.

Alright, one last thing. Whether or not I continue solely depend on the overall reception of the first chapter. Feel free to ask any questions you may have and I'll try to answer. Thanks.

Please read, review and I hope you enjoy. Thanks

**Life 0: The 'Transfer Student'**

"_Kazehaya Kamito, here. This is your next target."_

"…_.A little girl? She looks like the same age as me."_

"_This girl is the heir to the Gremory Clan and the little sister of the current 'Lucifer'. Your assignment this time is simple: you are to assassinate her."_

"_Assassinate her?"_

"_Yes; assassinate Rias Gremory."_

**Part 1**

Kamito wakes up at exactly 7:00 am. Eyes slowly open up, Kamito finds himself lying down on a couch and his face staring up at an old ceiling.

(...A dream?)

Kamito rubs his eyes for a bit with low yawn.

(...No, it was a past memory...)

Blankly staring up, Kamito lost himself in nostalgia.

He wonders briefly as he lays on the couch, how many years had passed since that day?

The day he met **her**, and his life had changed forever.

Has it only been a few years? A whole lifetime?

It should've only been seven years and yet, it felt like it all happened yesterday.

Kamito, who was now 17, had grown up quite a bit since then.

"Exactly 7:00 AM and not a second off, just like always. That technique of yours can be quite terrifying to say the least."

A refined, mysterious voice reached out to him while he remained lost in his thoughts. A female to be precise.

Kamito turns his head to the side, looking out from where he laid.

He finds himself in a classroom. The floors, walls, and ceilings were covered in a particular sign. A large magic circle was engraved in the center of the room, which takes up most of the space. There were a few desks and sofa's in the room. Kamito was lying on one of the sofa's right now.

There was only one other person in the room with him. A girl to be precise.

A young woman who appears to be in her late teens with incredibly proportions that wasn't typical of a Japanese girl. Clearly because, she wasn't Japanese.

She had skin that was white as snow with a smooth gloss to it.

Right now, that girl looked towards Kamito with gentle eyes.

Her long, flowing crimson red hair fell to her hips and swayed vibrantly by the draft coming from the open window, making the view around her also red.

The sight of such pure, elegant beauty would still the hearts of all who witnessed it, both male and female.

"Good morning, Kamito."

The girl addresses him with a mysterious but serene smile.

"Oh, good morning, Gremory-san."

When Kamito returned the greeting, the girl wears a slightly pouty face as her eyes showed distaste at the title.

For a brief moment, she showed the face of a normal girl.

"Mou, Kamito. I thought I told you to call me 'Rias'."

"Ah right, sorry about that. Good Morning...Rias."

The girl, Rias, simply smiles with delight upon hearing her name.

"Thank you, Kamito."

This girl was Rias Gremory. If Kamito could describe his relationship with this beautiful girl simply, it would be a relationship of Master and Servant.

Yes, Kazehaya Kamito had been serving Rias Gremory and her family for quite a while now. About 7 years to be precise.

The circumstances of when they met weren't exactly favorable.

(In fact, how the hell did I end up a servant of the Gremory House?)

Kamito has asked himself this question often but never figured it out.

He then shrugs his shoulders,

(I guess I'll just count my blessings and accept it.)

"Kamito, you were sleeping peacefully for once. Did you have a nice dream?"

Rias leisurely asked and Kamito simply answers,

"Y-Yeah, more or less. I was thinking about the time you and I first met."

Rias smiles fondly, her face looking like she was enjoying the old memories.

"Ah, yes. That was quite a fun memory. I'll be sure to cherish it."

Rias stands up from her desk and walking around, she approaches Kamito while crossing her arms under buxom chest.

While Kamito continues to lie there on the couch, his eyes unconsciously went in the direction of Rias' thighs.

"... black, huh? As expected of you."

Rias stops. Rather than show embarrassment, Rias honestly looked astonished.

"Ara, you're able to see from here?"

Not the reaction he was hoping for.

"...No, I'm sorry. I was just guessing."

"To get it right on the first try...Did you perhaps learn a technique where you can predict a girl's underwear perhaps at your old school?"

"What kind of school would teach a technique like that?"

Kamito can only sigh in defeat.

(The girl used to be much more fun to tease back when they first met.)

At least then, she would get flustered and embarrassed when her panties were brought up.

Now as she was older, she was naturally more mature and bolder to the point that something trivial as her panties being seen wouldn't bother as much. In fact, she was much bolder than Kamito could feel comfortable with.

Now, it feels like the situation is reversed now.

Kamito sort of misses those days.

"Hey, Kamito. Stand up for a bit."

"Ah, right."

Kamito turns his body and sits up on the sofa.

As he stands up straight, Rias pinches her chin while examining his profile.

Short black hair, mysterious dark eyes, and a dignified face, Rias nods her head a few times with silent approval.

(He used to be a lot cuter back then...Oh well, I suppose his manly face looks nice too.)

"It seems the Kuoh Academy's uniform suits you quite well."

"Do you really think so?"

The Kuoh Academy uniform which Kamito wore consists of a black blazer over a white, long-sleeved dress shirt with black highlights and a ribbon on the collar, matching black pants and brown dress shoes.

Kamito had his ribbon loosely done, the first button of his dress shirt open, revealing a simple black shirt underneath. He kept the blazer opened up. He wore thin black gloves on both of his hands.

Rias wore the girl's variation of the school uniform, which consists of a white long-sleeved, button-down shirt (short sleeves for spring/summer) with a black ribbon on her shirt collar worn under a black shoulder cape and a matching button-down corset, a magenta skirt with white accents, and brown dress shoes over white crew-length socks.

After examining Kamito carefully, Rias simply smiles and nods.

"Yes, I was sure to get your measurements and it seems to fit quite well."

"Hmm...?"

Today is Kamito's first day at Kuoh Academy. For a while, he was away at Europe for special training. However, Rias called him back to Japan so as to attend school with her. It was either so that he could protect his master or most likely, to give Kamito some exposure to a high school life, he assumes.

To say that he was nervous to attend school would be an understatement.

His experiences with his old 'school' hardly had a single happy memory to it so naturally, he wasn't fond of the idea.

However, he decided to go along with it, since he understands that all schools are not like 'that school'.

"Kamito, you'll be transferred to Class 2-B starting today. Yuuto will show you the way later."

"Yuuto, huh? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The two casually engaged in conversation.

At the same time, 'she' was slowly moving on her toes, approaching Kamito from behind in a stealthy manner.

Careful not to make a single sound to alert his sharp ears.

Careful to not exude a single ounce of pressure to alert his keen instincts.

Unaware, both Rias and Kamito kept talking to each other.

"Everyone sort of misses you, you know?"

"Misses me? They kept calling me every day when I was out training in Europe. Can they really miss me over that?"

"It's just not the same when you're not here. Kamito, you underestimate your own worth sometimes. It's a bad habit."

"Ah, sorry."

His guard was completely down and she saw a rare opening.

Then she strikes,

"Ka-mi-to-Kun~"

A playful voice sung aloud.

Coming from behind, she wrapped her arms behind Kamito's back and embraces his body firmly.

Kamito's body reflexes were stunned by the soft, elastic sensation pressing on his back. The feeling that caused his spine to tingle and mind to go blank, the girl rests her face over his shoulder with a seductive gaze in her eyes.

"I've missed you so much!"

"A-A-A-Akeno-san!?"

As calm as he normally is, Kamito was still a man. And like any man, the sensation of a woman's breasts, especially one like hers, would definitely cause weird emotions to fester inside him.

Akeno's face suddenly turns pouty upon hearing the '-san' added to her name.

"Hey, Kamito-kun. Can't you just call me 'Akeno'? I mean, you call Rias by her first name, don't you?"

"Ah, well...That's true...But please, I'm begging you. Your chest. Your chest is rubbing on my back."

"Nee, just call me Akeno, okay? A-ke-no."

"...A-A-Akeno..."

Perhaps because he was being pushed to do this but it felt much more embarrassing to say her first name than usual.

His voice was a bit deeper than she remembered. The sound of her name being spoken with that stronger voice made her blush.

Hiding her red face into his shoulder for a moment.

"...I'm so happy, Kamito-kun..."

"Huh?"

"Here's your reward!"

"Huh!?"

She embraces him even tighter, smothering his entire back with his breasts and playfully takes a nibble of his ear.

"What are you doing!?"

Kamito naturally panics and Akeno grins playfully at him.

"It's fine, isn't it? You're my new kouhai now so shouldn't I spoil you a little?"

"This is more than just a little...Oh? Oh right, I suppose that makes you my senpai here then. Should I call you, Akeno-senpai from now on?"

"I won't allow it~"

Despite her playful tone, Kamito can feel a bit of pressure from her voice. She doesn't seem to like it apparently.

Himejima Akeno. For as long as Kamito has known, she's been Rias' best friend. With a body just as, if not even more voluptuous as Rias, her body was hugged firmly by a Kouh Academy uniform not unlike Rias'. She had long black hair tied into a long ponytail, reaching all the way to her legs and held in place by an orange ribbon. Her violet eyes were quite hypnotizing, especially when she gets like this.

"...Akeno, what do you think you are doing to my Kamito?

With a stern voice, Rias was glaring at the two of them fiercely.

The red ominous aura on her shoulders was definitely not a figment of imagination.

"It's unfair for Rias to keep Kamito-kun all to herself. I've known him for as long as you did and missed him just as much as you."

Akeno hugs Kamito even tighter, as if provoking Rias.

'If you want him, why don't you try to take him from me then?'

That was the message her eyes was conveying to Rias.

Despite the indifferent expression, there was a part of Rias that was clearly provoked by the challenge.

Her brow was twitching furiously as she tries to hold a smile,

"It seems Akeno has forgotten. That boy is clearly mine. It has been all this time. Isn't that right, Kamito?"

"I suppose."

Kamito couldn't really deny her claim. Rather, that's exactly it. He has essentially belonged to Rias for a while now.

But Akeno argues,

"His mind and body perhaps, but his heart is still up for the taking, is it not?"

"Well, that's..."

Rias stumbled. There was no argument that she could make against Akeno's statement.

For a long, awkward silence, the two girls who glaring at each other with so much force that sparks were clashing between them.

And Kamito was stuck in the middle of all of this.

(Somebody save me...)

"Umm...Excuse me..."

With perfect timing, a gentleman with blonde hair and grey eyes stood in front of the door, dressed in the same Kuoh Academy uniform as Kamito.

Having walked into a battlefield between two women, it was naturally he felt awkward for intruding.

His light call snaps Rias out of her glare,

"Ah, Yuuto! Do you need something?"

"Yes, Buchou. Classes are about to start so I thought I'd escort Kamito-senpai to his classroom."

"Ah, is it time already? I hadn't noticed. Very well then, Kamito. You should head to class right now."

"R-Right."

Kamito gently breaks away from Akeno's embrace, who waves him off with an elegant smile.

"Do your best, Kamito-kun. If there's anything you don't understand about this school, please come to either Rias or myself."

"Yeah, I will..."

Akeno lets out a light 'ufufufu' sort of laugh while Rias simply sags her shoulders and sighs,

"Well, I suppose I should've said this from the beginning but..."

Rias easily forms a smile on her face again and directs it towards Kamito.

"Welcome to Kuoh Academy, Kamito. I look forward to our time together."

**Part 2**

"Ah, thank you, Yuuto. You were a lifesaver back there. I thought I was going to die."

"It's been a while since you came back to Japan, Kamito-senpai. Welcome back."

Kamito drops his shoulders as he walks down the unfamiliar hallways with Yuuto.

The blonde handsome man with prince-like aura is Kiba Yuuto. For some reason, Yuuto had a habit of adding the 'senpai' to the end of his name, despite being roughly the same age.

"...Hey, can you at least stop calling me 'senpai'? We're in the same year, aren't we?"

Yuuto simply raises his head up, starting towards the ceiling with a mused look.

"Oh? I suppose that's right. It's just that we've trained for together for so long that it just became a habit."

To Yuuto, before they are fellow students of Kuoh Academy, they were sword training buddies and Kamito was his superior in terms of swordsmanship. In fact, most of the techniques Yuuto has was a result of attempting to mimic Kamito's feats and learn his moves, hence why he calls Kamito 'senpai'.

"I guess I can't call you 'senpai' anymore. How about 'sensei' then?"

"That's even worse."

"...'-san', then?"

"Still feels weird. How about you call me 'Kamito' instead?"

"...Then, 'Kamito-kun'."

(Good enough...)

Kamito sighs, eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

Compared to his old school, this was certainly much brighter and easygoing. Of course, he can't say his old school was precisely normal.

Even so, the sense of peace he was feeling all around was a bit...nerve-wracking for him.

From what he could read up before coming here, Kuoh Academy was a private school. It used to be an all girl school but it recently began accepting boys.

For the time being the number of girls in this academy is still greater than boys but as years pass, the number of boys attending increases. If Kamito remembers correctly, then the ratio of girls-to-boys was from 8-to-2 or 7-to-3. One or the other.

The majority of the members of the student council are girls, including the president. As such, boys aren't given much freedom.

There are two buildings that make up the Academy. First is the main building then there is the old school building.

The building he was in before was the old school building. Despite that, it was quite a clean place. There were no insects, spiderwebs or shattered windows one would expect from an abandoned building. However, it was still old and made from wood so classes aren't normally held there. However it was still used as a place for clubs to meet, particularly the Occult Research Club founded by Rias. Since the old school building was surrounded by trees and had a creepy air around it, no one really goes through that place.

This is the school Kamito will be attending.

Right now, he was in the main school building, walking down the halls of the second floor along with Yuuto. The hallways were quiet, because most of the students were in their classrooms.

"By the way, Kamito-kun, how did your training over at Europe go?"

"Ah, yeah, I guess you could say I've learned quite a few things from my travels."

"I like to hear about them sometime later. Well, Kamito-kun. Here we are."

Yuuto stops right before the door of one of the classrooms. All of them looked virtually the same so Kamito had a hard time differentiating them.

If it weren't for the sign above the door that said [2-B] on top, he certainly would've gotten lost.

"I need to get back to my class now but I'll be sure to stop by when I have time to check up on you. Later, Kamito-kun. And good luck to you."

"Yeah, later."

Exchanging a light wave to each other, Yuuto heads back to his classroom.

Now it was just Kamito alone standing in front of that doorway to the 2-B classroom like an idiot while quietly listening in on the teacher's muffled voice on the other side of the door.

Feeling his heart beating rapidly, Kamito takes a few deep breaths while trying to calm his mind.

"It's okay...It's okay...Compared to everything else, this should be easy...Just calm down...That's what I should do...Just calm down."

He clenches his gloved hands that were sweating on the inside.

Then he can hear the teacher's audible voice from the other side of the door.

"Alright class, settle down. We have a new transfer student coming into our class today. Apparently, he has been living in Europe for a few years and have just returned to Japan to finish school here. I expect all of you to exercise patience and welcome the new student with open arms and assist him with any help he may require."

If he recalls correctly, it was Rias who helped smooth out his transfer process.

"Alright, you may come in now."

The teacher's voice was directed to the door where Kamito stood.

Taking a deep gulp, Kamito reaches for the door handle.

(Alright, here goes nothing.)

He slowly slides the door open and the brief flash of sunlight from the window stuns him briefly.

As he steps into the classroom, he feels slightly anxious with all the eyes that focused upon him.

Both guys and girls filled the classroom and none of them put the effort in hiding their curiosity of the new student that just entered in.

Kamito's prescence had caused some quiet murmurs within the classroom.

Guys were seething their teeth with anger,

"What is this?"

"Another handsome jerk!"

"The second Kiba!"

"As if one wasn't bad enough!"

"That clueless look on his face..."

"...Don't tell me...he's one of 'those'!?"

"A clueless lady-killer!"

"Our mortal enemy!"

(What in the world are they talking about?)

Kamito has never sense so much bloodlust in a single room before. From him, that was saying something.

The girls were even stranger.

"Another boy?"

"That vicious look it looks like he will kill someone with them."

"However, his delinquent looks, is quite cool."

"Don't be fooled by his outward appearance. Every man is a perverted beast."

"But don't you think his face is quite nice? Especially those eyes..."

"So mysterious..."

"Don't look. If you make eye contact, you'll get pregnant."

(...Do those girls hate me or not?)

Is what Kamito wanted to ask. Looking around the ordinary classroom, he can only sigh.

The number of students looked around to be 14 or 15. A mixture of guys and girls in a single room. The boys clearly hate him for reasons he doesn't understand while some girls looked at Kamito with interest, while the others looked really scared.

With sharp glances as sharp as needles, Kamito felt the urge to run away.

"Alright, class. Settle down. Why don't you introduce yourself?"

"Ah, right."

The classroom was filled with silence and with the teacher's urgings, Kamito steps to the class.

Taking a deep breath, he introduces himself briefly with a clear voice.

"I am Kazehaya Kamito. As you can see, I just transferred here after living in Europe for a while so I'm still trying to adjust to everything here...so, don't be afraid and I hope we can all get along, thanks."

It was too simple, but he had nothing else to be said.

That's because there were a lot of things, that shouldn't be said.

For Kamito, who held a lot of secrets, the air of mystery around him only seems to have left the class with intrigue.

First was the girl's reactions,

"That was...normal, wasn't it?"

"Totally normal."

"More like, I've think I've fallen for him~."

"That aloof look on his face, doesn't it want to make you take care of him?"

"Finally, a dark horse has descended in our class full of nothing but filthy boys."

As for the guys,

"Damnit, another lady-killer has come into our class."

"Why does god love to torture us so much?"

"First Kiba, now Kazehaya?"

"The world is too cruel!"

"What did we do to deserve this?!"

The classroom was in an uproar and somehow, it feels like it's all his fault.

He honestly does not know how he should react to a situation like this.

"Alright, class! Settle down! You'll have plenty of time to speak with Kazehaya-kun. Now, Kazehaya-kun, why don't you take a seat, you can take the empty one behind Hyoudou-kun."

"Hyoudou?"

"Him."

The teacher directs Kamito to another youth sitting in the corner near the back. He had average height, short brown hair and light brown eyes. Wearing a stupid expression, he holds his eyes wide open while pointing a finger at himself, mouthing the word 'Me?' silently.

"Nobody's sitting in the empty seat there. You can sit there."

"...Alright."

Kamito complies with the teacher quietly.

For some reason, as he makes it to the back of the class, the girls of the class were quietly squealing in horror.

"No way...! Kazehaya-kun is going to be sitting right behind ero-Hyoudou...!?"

"Don't go, Kazehaya-kun...!"

"You'll only be corrupted if you go there...!"

"Kazehaya-kun is going to become a pervert if he stays close to him...!"

"Oh no...! At this rate, he'll become one with the Perverted Trio...!"

"It'll become the Perverted Quartet...!"

(Ero-Hyoudou? Perverted Trio? What are these girls talking about?)

To Kamito, who was completely new to this atmosphere, was completely clueless about these unfamiliar words.

The pale looks on all the girl's faces suggested it was something bad though.

"You girls, shut the hell up already...! The transfer student's going to get the wrong idea...!"

The man known as ero-Hyoudou hisses to all the girls, who simply glared back at him with disgust.

(I wonder what wrong idea is that...?)

Kamito silently wondered while scratching his face. The girls clearly had some kind of vendetta against him.

However at a glance, Kamito can see that he wasn't all bad...

(...I think?)

Kamito takes his seat behind Hyoudou, earning silent horrific shrieks from all the girls.

(Something about this feels really retarded.)

It was as if his chair was cursed by a student that died at this academy.

However, no matter how much he thinks about it, he was certain that this was just a regular seat.

Kamito lets out a sigh. The day had just started and he was already tired.

(Is school always this tiring?)

Then, he hears crying coming from right in front of him.

(Huh?)

"...Damnit...why me? Why is it that I have to have a such a handsome jerk sit right behind me? It's just not fair...Is it because I finally got myself a girlfriend...?"

For some reason, Kamito felt that he should apologize to him for a reason that he doesn't quite understand.

"...U-Umm..."

Then the boy lifts his head from his desk with a sigh,

"Oh, right. I shouldn't give the transfer student trouble on his first day."

When the teacher wasn't looking, Hyoudou turns around on his chair and looks over at Kamito over his shoulder, having just wiped his tears away.

"I'm Hyoudou Issei. You're Kazehaya Kamito, right? You can just call me Ise, if you want."

He doesn't seem like a bad person, even if he does cry a lot.

Kamito says,

"In that case, just call me, Kamito. Nice to meet you, Ise."

"You too, Kamito."

**Part 3**

"Ufufufu, I wonder if Kamito-kun is doing okay on his first day of school?"

Akeno giggles as she stood at Rias' side.

The crimson haired princess sat finely on the sofa with her thighs crossed, eyes fondly directed at the chess board in front of her.

There were black pieces, white pieces and oddly enough, red pieces. The pieces were arranged in an odd formation.

Rias only sees an impregnable defense.

One can call this a hobby that Rias has, which is solving chess puzzles that were arranged by Akeno.

The purpose of the puzzle is to declare checkmate in a single move, with a set formation of the pieces.

She often does this in an attempt to hone her mind and pass the time.

"Kamito can handle mostly anything. However, I fear that school is one of the things he can't handle on his own. Well, at least, he has Yuuto and Koneko to turn to if he needs help. Although I do hope he's making some new friends in his class."

"...Kamito-kun sure has changed, hasn't he? From 7 years ago."

Akeno had a nostalgic look in her eyes as she looked like she was gazing back into the past.

"...Although, I do miss the old Kamito-kun from before. He was so much cuter back then when his hair was longer."

"Yes, My Kamito really was cute. That's why I decided to make him my servant."

Holding a confident smile to her face, Rias picks up the pawn piece and advances it one space forward.

"But even then, I had no idea the potential he had at the time. What he was truly capable of.

Just from moving that one pawn, Rias declares checkmate in her mind.

Keeping that bored look on her face, Rias stands up while Akeno leans over and beholds the chess board in surprise upon seeing the problem she set up solved in no time at all.

It was an easy problem."

Rias nobly claimed while Akeno sighs in lament,

"And I was sure to increase the difficulty quite a bit."

"You did? I hope the next one will be harder then."

As if the clubroom was her own home, Rias begins to undress.

The Occult Research Clubroom was unique when it was the only room to possess its own personal shower facility at the back of the room.

She started off by removing her black shoulder cape, followed by the corset around her waist and hips. Tossing them over the sofa, Rias zips down her skirt and pulls her legs out, revealing the black panties that Kamito had apparently guessed earlier.

As she removes the last of the buttons of her dress shirts and slips her arms out, she tosses it to the side, leaving nothing except her bra and panties.

Eventually, she ends up removing those as well, leaving her body completely naked.

Stark naked.

A full view of her voluptuous curves were fully expressed in the safety of her own clubroom. Technically, they were still at school and so the idea of standing around completely nude exposing every inch of your bare skin would be embarrassing to just about anyone.

However, Rias didn't even possess a grain of such embarrassment. She didn't mind showing her body to people like Akeno and since it's only people like her who came to this old school building, she really had nothing to fear.

In fact, she felt sort of liberated. Her large breasts swayed freely without the bra holding her back and she slowly slips through the shower curtains at the back of the room.

Twisting the faucet, she allows the soothing hot water coming from the shower head soak down on her long hair and body.

She could sort of feel the stress leave her body as the water droplets fall down and flow through her long, soft crimson hair.

It flowed down her body as well, going down from the collar bone to her large chest, to her slender navel, round hips, and soft-looking thighs.

Now that she thinks about it, she has changed too, hasn't she?

From 7 years ago...

Her chest has become larger. Her waistline more slender. Hips became fuller.

This was no doubt a woman's body she has now.

However, the only thing that changed was her body.

(Kamito...I wonder...Do you still...)

Rias tilts her head up at the direction of the shower head, letting the hot drops of water hit her face.

The reason she brought Kamito to Kuoh Academy was simple.

She wanted to give him an exposure of what it's like to go to school.

What it's like to be a normal person.

(I hope you're doing okay in your class, Kamito.)

**Part 4**

The very second the lunch break began, Kamito finds his desk surrounded by all the girls in his class.

No, he was certain that some of these girls weren't even from his class to begin with and have come from the classes next door.

Before he can even breathe, he is being bombarded by questions all over the place.

"U-Umm, Kazehaya...kun?"

"Ye, Yeah? What?"

"Um, um, wha-what's your favorite food?"

"Eh? Well, anything I guess."

"Where did you live before coming here?"

"Huh? Well...I guess, everywhere. I did a lot of travel before coming here."

"Wh-What kind of girl do you like?!"

"H-Huh?! Well, I suppose...a nice girl?"

"Kyaaah!" "So Ordinary!" "So cute!" "So adorable!"

Questions kept pouring at him at a rate so fast he couldn't even answer.

"Have you joined a club yet?" "What have you done until now?" "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Kamito could not keep up with the rate that questions kept coming.

Girls kept pouring them from everywhere to the point where his brain can't process all of them.

The overlapping voices was disrupting his eardrums.

"U-Umm, everyone!"

Kamito raised his voice and as addresses all the girls, all the talking halts to a silence.

Since it was his first day, he had to make a good first impression on his classmates.

So, trying to pull off his best smile, Kamito addresses all the girls with a gentle voice.

"C-Can you take it easy on me, just for today? It's kind of my first day and I really didn't want to draw any attention so soon."

That tactic, was too effective.

"Kyaaaah!" "Of course, Kazehaya-kun!" "Whatever you say!" "If you ever need anything, please don't be afraid to ask us!"

The girls scattered with their hearts aflutter and blushing red faces.

With already half the day finally over, the area around Kamito's desk has finally settled as the girls left to go to their respective classrooms and tables.

Already, he feels so very exhausted.

He's not used to dealing with this many people, and it gets even worse when they start asking questions about his personal life.

He isn't fond of lying but he doesn't necessarily wish to talk about his past either.

It'd be nice if he could get along with everyone without divulging too much into his background.

Although with the keen interest all the girls are showing to him, it doesn't look like he'll be getting off anytime soon.

"Yo, you sure got it rough there, you handsome jerk!"

Issei turns around on his chair. Kamito has yet to figure out whether he was being rude or friendly.

Kamito simply says back,

"It's not intentional or anything, they just wouldn't stop talking to me."

"Oh, what I wouldn't do to have that kind of power! If it were a few days ago, I'd strangle the fuck out of you!"

"A few days ago?"

Issei, who was grumbling earlier, suddenly shows a boastful face as he holds his chest up high.

"Hehe, just the other day, a girl finally confessed to me! That's right, Kamito! I, Hyoudou Issei, have finally got myself a girlfriend!"

"Huh, I see."

(Was perhaps the whole reason he started the conversation so he could boast about that?)

Kamito's suspicions were confirmed as Issei quickly draws out his cell phone and shows it off to Kamito.

"Here! Take a look! Her name is Amano Yuuma-chan! She's the girl that just confessed to me earlier! She's cute, right? Don't you think she's cute? She's so cute! And beautiful too!"

Issei was showing off the wallpaper of his cell phone which had a snap shot of a cute girl saved right onto it. She had long black hair and violet eyes and looked like the same age as Issei.

Kamito had to admit, she was definitely an attractive woman.

"Yeah, I'd say she's really cute...Hmm?"

Kamito starts to stare at the picture of the girl more intently, blinking a few times in slight confusion.

"What's the matter with you, Kamito?"

Issei asks, pondering the look that was on Kamito's face.

He didn't had the face of one who had fallen in love at first sight.

Instead, Kamito was examining the girl's profile intently.

Something was odd.

It wasn't like the girl was clearly too attractive for someone like Issei, although that is somewhat true.

It was that her face seemed familiar, somehow.

Kamito can't put his finger on it but it felt like he had met her before somewhere. Or at least, he had seen a face exactly like hers somewhere.

Amano Yuuma...

That name definitely did not sound familiar at all.

It was his first time hearing it.

And as Kamito searches through his own memory bank, he still can't put his finger as to where this strange feeling is coming from.

That girl definitely looked familiar and at the same time, he had no idea who she is.

Perhaps he mistaken her for someone else.

"...It's nothing. Probably..."

Issei was a little confused just now but was certain that he was just being nervous as the new guy at school.

"You're a strange guy, you know?"

Issei had only known Kazehaya Kamito for about a few hours and talked to him for no more than 5 minutes.

And so, this was the only conclusion he can draw about him.

(He's not a bad person...probably.)

This completely ruins his image of a handsome person, who he always believed as a jerk with complete confidence in their looks and a pompous attitude.

Kamito on the other hand, was surprisingly modest and it didn't look like an act.

"What is this, Issei? Getting along with Kazehaya on your first day?"

"Just because you got a girlfriend you think you're a casanova like Kiba and Kazehaya!?"

Two other students joined in on the conversation with rather rude comments towards Issei. One was a boy with glasses named Motohama and the other with the shaved head was known as Matsuda.

They are Issei's friends...more or less.

Issei however puts on a cocky face and says to the two of them,

"Hmph, if that's the case, why don't you two start looking for girlfriends then? That is, if anyone's even willing to go out with a couple of guys like you. Hahahaha!"

"SHIIIIITT!"

"Damn you, Issei!"

The boys were grinding their teeth so hard they were creating sparks as they glare at Issei with overwhelming hatred.

"Getting so cocky just because you have a girlfriend!"

"You can die along with Kazehaya!"

Looking at these boys now, Kamito nods his head a few times in acceptance.

(Dealing with the girls was probably easier for me than these guys...)

"Um, you two are Matsuda and Motohama, right?"

Kamito addresses the two of them, who as they recall, never introduced their names to them.

"Wait, you know who we are?"

"Could it be...has our names been finally recognized in the world of handsome popular guys!?"

Their faces showed absolute joy at the thought, only to be crushed by Kamito's harsh statement.

"Yeah, Matsuda aka the "Perverted Baldy" and the "Sexual Harassing Paparazzi" and Motohama aka "Perverted Glasses" and the "Three-size Scouter". You three along with Issei are dubbed 'The Perverted Trio'. The girls here told me that I should keep my distances from you all."

"Wha-!"

"No way-!"

As if swords were run into their chest, Motohama and Matsuda fell, their heads smashing on a table in absolute despair.

From what Kamito learned, Matsuda was apparently a sports boy who is now a member of the photo club, taking pictures of girls' bodies. He is a pervert who makes sexually harassing comments every day.

Motohama apparently had the strange and useless skill where he could analyze a girl's measurements simply using his glasses.

(This school is full of weirdoes...)

Kamito thought to himself. He thought he was an odd person but apparently, that's nothing compared to these guys.

"Hey, Kamito..."

Issei, who somehow lost the cockiness earlier, was gripping on Kamito's shoulders rather tightly. Rather, his grip is really tight.

"You're hurting me, Issei..."

"More importantly, can you not see me like some kind of perverted freak? We're friends, aren't we? Hey, we're friends, right?"

"...Are you crying, right now?"

"...Yes!"

Issei reveals his face, which had waterfall tears streaming down his eyes.

It was as if mentioning the word 'Perverted Trio' had opened up some scarring memories.

"You know, it's okay if you're into that kind of stuff. I mean, aren't all boys our age kind of like that, anyways?"

"""...!"""

Hearing those surprising words coming from Kamito, Matsuda, Motohama and even Issei all lift their heads with renewed hope and astonishment.

"Kazehaya, don't tell me..."

"...Could you be...a pervert as well?"

Matsuda and Motohama inquires Kamito who simply scratches his face.

Pervert. As far as Kamito knows, they come in all kinds.

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

Then Motohama and Matsuda take a stand before Kamito and slamming their fists onto their chest, they release a booming voice.

"We are...the very incarnation of lust, carnal desire! Basically, we are men in the purest forms!"

"We are perverts because we openly express our truest love for a woman's body. Whether it's the boobs, waist, hips, butt or thighs, we only peep to admire the beautiful parts of a girl that is meant to be admired! Is that so wrong!?"

They release a huge booming voice that can be heard by everyone in the class, especially the girls.

An awkward silence came and all the girls looked completely mortified.

The only one with a calm face is Kamito who nods his head thoughtfully.

Their words were powerful but wrong. Very, very wrong.

"I see...If that's the case then...Of course not. There's absolutely no way I could really understand what you guys are talking about."

Matsuda and Motohama, were bursting tears again.

"Of course...A pretty-boy like you could never understand the pain we unpopular guys go through!"

"All we ever want was for all the girls to not see us like garbage!"

The boys were crying in front of Kamito. He actually feels bad for them. But before he could do or say anything, the girls in the class were giving out harsh comments.

"Don't do it, Kazehaya-kun! If you touch them, you'll become as stupid as they are!"

"Hey, you three! Don't drag Kazehaya-kun to your level!"

"Stay away from him, you damn leeches!"

Before he knew it, the class turned into a battlefield. Rather, wasn't it more like a bully ring. The girls kept shouting harsh comments and belittling Issei and the others, as if trying to break their spirits.

But it was no good because as Issei puts it,

"Our bodies may break but you'll never break our perverted spirit!"

(Nice words there, Issei. Good luck...!)

In the midst of all the chaos, Kamito easily slips through the back door of the class before anyone could notice.

Using a special technique to kills his own presence, Kamito easily slips out without alerting anyone's attention.

Kamito closes the back door behind him and lets out a heavy sigh while lowering his head.

He felt bad for abandoning Issei and the others in there when they were just starting to get along but Kamito knew that this was beyond his ability.

(Are all schools this tiresome?)

"Ah, Kamito-kun!"

Kamito turns his head to the voice that called him. Yuuto was standing there, casually waving.

"Ah, Yuuto. Do you need me for something?"

"Yes. Buchou wants to see you in the clubroom."

"Alright then..."

**Part 5**

Yuuto and Kamito enter the Occult Research Club.

Upon entering the class, Kamito instantly recognizes the small girl sitting on a sofa. A petite girl with white hair and hazel eyes. At the front, her hair has two long bangs going past her shoulders and several loose bangs hanging over her forehead, while the back has a short bob cut. She also wears a black cat-shaped hair clip on both sides of her hair. She wore a girl's school uniform without the cape.

"Ah, Koneko!"

While eating a small treat, Koneko turns her head and looks at Kamito, putting down her treat.

"Ah, Kamito-senpai. Welcome back."

"Ah, I'm back."

The two exchanged short pleasantries and as Kamito lightly pats his head on Koneko's head, the girl's cheeks starts to light up pink and she lowered her head.

It has been a while since Kamito had pet Koneko's head. She often missed the soft sensation of his hand gently rubbing her head.

He was first greeted by Rias who sat at her desk.

"Ah, Kamito. You're here. How is your first day of school treating you?"

"Well, things are a little crazy at my class. Actually, make that a lot crazy."

Kamito who groans, takes refuge at a small open window at the edge of the classroom.

Leaning his body out and resting on the window sill, he lets the calm wind flow through his hair.

Kuoh Academy was certainly peaceful.

The students here always spend their time leisurely enjoying their school life.

It was not like his old school.

Everyone here is enjoying their life.

Playing tennis, swimming in the pool or in Matsuda and Motohama's case, getting chased by the girl's kendo club who were madly swinging their shinai's at them.

He knows that because it was happening in front of them at that moment.

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

"ISSEI, YOU TRAITOR!"

Even from where he stood, he can see and hear those two screaming while literally holding onto their own asses like their life depended on it.

Behind them was arguably the entire girl's kendo club chasing them with their shinai's.

"..."

Here is Kazehaya Kamito's theory of what could have happened to have led to that event.

Matsuda and Motohama was doing something lewd to the kendo club girls, likely peeping on them while they're changing. They got caught and now they were being chased by the club. The 'Issei, you traitor' comment might relate to the fact that he is a peeping buddy along with them, but likely did not show up this time because of his new girlfriend, and with that, Motohama and Matsuda lost their scapegoat.

That's what Kamito thinks anyways.

Other than that, Kuoh Academy is peaceful...

"...You didn't call me simply to welcome me to this school, did you?"

Kamito turns around and faces Rias with a knowing smile.

He sees Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko along with Rias.

That could only mean one thing.

Rias nods simply,

"Yes, I suppose it's time to get down to business, I suppose."

Occult Research Club...It was only a front, a guise to hide their true nature.

Out of all the secrets that he has, Kamito at least shared this one with everyone.

He, along with everyone else, is a Devil. The club is just a gathering for these Devils.

They were all devils serving Rias Gremory, their master, their king.

Rias Gremory is a Devil belonging to the House of Gremory, which holds the rank of Duke in the Underworld.

Devils use a system to form a small group of soldiers called [Evil Piece].

It is a concept similar to chess.

The masters are a [King].

After that, there are [Queen], [Knight], [Rook], [Bishop] and [Pawn].

There are an exact same number of pieces in Evil Piece as there are in Chess.

And each piece have their own unique traits.

[Knights] have speed.

[Rook] is absolute strength.

[Bishop] have enhanced magical capabilities.

[Queens] have the traits of all the other pieces.

Rias Gremory has a peerage of her own Evil Pieces, consisting of the members of the Occult Research Club.

Rias Gremory is the [King]

Himejima Akeno is the [Queen]

Kiba Yuuto is a [Knight]

Toujou Koneko is a [Rook]

And Kazehaya Kamito is a [Pawn]. 4 pawns to be precise.

Kamito had required a total of at least 4 pawns to reincarnated into a devil and since Knight, Rook and Bishops were only worth 3, 4 pawns had to be used so that Rias could save her pieces. Evil Pieces were required for a former human like Kamito to become a Devil.

Almost everyone here should be the same. He wasn't sure since he never dug into people's personal lives, because that what mean confessing his own past to them.

The only people who knew would be Rias and Akeno.

"Kamito, there's a reason why I placed you in Class 2-B. I want you to keep a close watch on Hyoudou Issei."

"Issei?"

Now Rias was slightly surprised.

"You know of him? Well, that's a surprise. But I suppose I should expect that from Kamito. I knew I could count on you."

"Y-Yeah..."

It was a complete accident though...

"So what about Issei, anyways? Did he try to peek on you and Akeno-san or something?"

"Ara, ara could Kamito-kun be jealous?"

Akeno slightly teased but Rias kept a calm composure.

"Actually, we have reason to believe that he could be in possession of a powerful Sacred Gear."

Sacred Gears are powerful items with abilities bestowed upon humans by the original God from the Bible.

After hearing that, Kamito understood her completely.

"So basically, you think Issei has that kind of power and you think he's with recruiting into our group, right?"

Rias wore a sly smile at Kamito's guess.

"That's exactly right. I've concluded that Hyoudou Issei is worth at least 4 pawn pieces, the same as you. However, whether or not he could reach the same potential he has as you has yet to be seen. I want you to keep watch of him closely, see if he has that kind of potential."

Kamito nods his head but still points out,

"Is it okay leaving something like this to me? Shouldn't you keep an eye on him yourself to see whether or not he meets your standards?"

Unlike Kamito who wavered, Rias expresses full confidence in him.

"I trust you to make the right decision. He may or may not be your fellow pawn so it's best for all of us if you agree that he has what it takes."

When Rias puts it like that, Kamito had no choice but to agree.

Her argument was completely sound and when she showed faith in Kamito, it was hard for him to refuse.

Honestly, Kamito would prefer it if he didn't drag him into all this.

The life of a Devil wasn't easy. Then again, his life when he was human was just as bad.

However unlike everyone else here, Issei was just a normal high school student enjoying his youth. He had a very perverted way to do it but he was enjoying it nonetheless.

What right did Kamito had to take it away?

So he hesitated a little, but agreed anyways.

All he had to do was refuse his candidacy and put the whole thing behind him.

"...Alright then, I'll keep an eye on him to see if he has the potential."

"I knew I could count on you, Kamito. Also, be careful. There have been reports of Fallen Angels hiding somewhere in the city."

Rias carefully cautioned him. Fallen Angels were Angels that have fallen from the grace of god, usually by having 'impure thoughts' that divert them from the teachings of the God in the Bible.

Currently, they were the smallest among the three factions, which include Devils and Angels.

Despite being fallen, they still retain the ability to use the same powers as Angels, making them as dangerous to Devils as their holy counterparts.

After giving that warning, Rias puts on a friendly smile.

"Oh and let me just say this: we're all happy to see you again."

Akeno, Yuuto and even Koneko all smile and nod in accordance to Rias' words.

Kamito, noticing all the attention he was getting, felt just a little nervous but accepted their heartfelt greetings.

"Ah, I guess I'm home now, aren't I?"

Then the topic changed as Rias asks,

"By the way, Kamito. Do you have any idea where you'll be staying?"

"..."

Now that he thought about it, Kamito was so busy with the Kuoh Academy transfer process that he had neglected to find a place to live or even register for any kind of dormitory.

Essentially, he was currently homeless.

"Crap! I completely forgot! What do I do!?"

Kamito mulls it over for a bit and lets out a deep sigh,

"I guess I'll be sleeping under a bridge today."

"Ara ara, you poor thing, ufufufu."

Akeno giggles while holding her face with her hand. She looks over at Rias and asks,

"Is there anything you can do?"

Rias puts on a complicated face. She never expected this kind of trouble at all.

"Unfortunately, this slipped my mind also. I completely forgot to find a place for Kamito."

"Then perhaps I should take Kamito-kun in, then."

"I will not allow that. Knowing you, Akeno, you'll do all kinds of things to my Kamito."

"Ufufu, it was worth a try~"

Then Yuuto raises his hand up with a suggestion,

"Then perhaps he can live with me then? I should have room for one other person."

"No, Yuuto. That's fine. That won't be necessary because..."

Her rosy lips curved upwards to form a cunning smile. When directed towards Kamito, all he feels is chills.

"I have a better idea..."

(I have a bad feeling about this...)

**Part 6**

"...This is a better idea?"

Kamito finds himself standing in front of the Hyoudou Household as evening sets. He knows this is it because of the nameplate on the house said 'Hyoudou' on it.

The house made no attempts to stand out. In fact, it looked the same as just about every house on the block.

He stands before this house with Rias beside him. Apparently, she had somehow acquired access to his address by looking it up in the school records.

Even though it was only his first day, he was certain doing that was a crime.

Rias proposal: To have Kamito leave at the Hyoudou household to observe Hyoudou Issei.

Naturally, Kamito thought that was a horrible idea.

"Let's go, Kamito."

"Huh? Huh!? What!?"

Rias takes Kamito's hand and pulls him towards the door while the young man has yet to regain himself.

At the door, Rias greets the bewildered adult couple whose eyes were essentially popping out of their heads at the sight of the beautiful foreigner and handsome Japanese male.

Rias bows her head elegantly with a fresh smile on her face.

"Ah, you must be Hyoudou-kun's mother and father, perhaps? It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Rias Gremory and I go to the same school as your son. I'm terribly sorry to trouble you this late but I have a request to make. Can my friend Kamito here stay with your family for a few nights."

The surprise visit of Rias Gremory and the news she brought was enough to excite Issei until he passed out.

**Part 7**

The parents invited them in for some tea. Issei, who was still passed out, was up in his room resting. In the meantime, Rias expressed pleasantries with the Hyoudou couple.

"I know this is sudden but could you give my dear friend, Kamito, a place to stay for a few nights? Hey, Kamito. Introduce yourself to these nice people."

"Ah, r-right."

At Rias' urging, Kamito introduces himself.

"My name is Kazehaya Kamito. As you can see, I'm a classmate of Issei and Rias. I just transferred and your son is helping me adjust to my new school life. I've just came back from a long stay at Europe and I hadn't managed to find myself a place to stay. So if it's okay, can I stay here for at least a few nights?"

Kamito bows his head. The reaction he got was better than expected.

"Otou-san! Take a look! Issei has finally managed to befriend such a kind young man! And a gentle one too!"

"All this time...Issei's only friends had always been Motohama and Matsuda...To think he met someone like Kazehaya-kun...Kaa-chan. Get me the tissues! I think I'll be crying all night!"

"I'm so relieved...Motohama and Matsuda had always been such bad influences on Issei. They're good kids but they're hardly healthy for Issei to be around! Hey, Kazehaya-kun. Is it okay if I call you Kamito-kun?"

Kamito nods his head politely.

"By all means, be my guest."

Then Issei's father crosses his arms and leans back on his chair.

"Well, Kamito-kun. Let me just clarify something. Why are you living alone? What about your parents?"

"My parents? Well..."

Kamito had two choices before him.

A sweet lie or the harsh truth.

He didn't want to burden these nice people of any part of his personal history; however, he is a horrible liar.

"I kinda...never met my parents. I grew up at a special orphanage my whole life until I began to live out on my own. Ever since then I had to take care of myself."

Then Kamito added with a brighter voice,

"That was until I met Rias. She picked me up but I still try to remain self-sufficient. Lately, I've been travelling place-to-place trying to support myself until I came here. In fact, it was Rias that helped me get into Kuoh Academy. She offered me a place to stay but I really couldn't take advantage of anymore of her kindness. I know I'm being selfish but I hope you understand."

Kamito bows his head. That last part was sort of a lie. She did offer her a place. That place being the house they were sitting in right now.

Then Issei's parents lowered their heads. The mother and father spoke with their minds completely in sync.

"Kamito-kun...that thing about you staying here...We changed our mind."

"Instead...can we adopt you into our family!?"

"HUH!?"

Kamito was beyond dumbstruck, like a bolt of lightning struck and destroyed his brain.

Issei's mother was wiping the edge of her tearful eyes with tissues, exclaiming,

"To think...such a gentle boy was forced to live like this until now..."

"Sniff...Kamito-kun, No, Kamito. You'll be staying with us indefinitely! As of today, you are a member of the Hyoudou family! Go on, call me, 'Otou-san!'"

"And call me Okaa-san!"

(WHAT THE HELL!?)

Kamito is normally a calm person. However, even he can't contain his mental shock of this development.

"Hmm, I did not expect this...Perhaps, this went far beyond my expectations..."

Rias lowly whispers to herself while pinching her chin.

Kamito leans towards Rias, speaking so low that it could not be heard while the mother and father were crying.

(Psst...Hey, Rias! Wasn't this too effective? I mean, they're gonna turn me into Hyoudou Kamito at this rate.)

Rias-

-Simply smiled.

"Well, at least we solve the housing problem."

"We got a bigger problem here!"

Issei's mother then heads up towards the stairs of her house and into Issei's room.

"Issei, we have wonderful news. We just got you an older brother!"

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

Apparently, he had woken up. At a horrible time no less.

**Part 8**

Rias took her leave and Kamito, left at the mercy of the Hyoudou's, was diligently giving his apparently new house a clean for his apparently new family.

While dressed like some form of janitor, Kamito was thoroughly giving the house a clean scrub with his mop. He pushes and pulls the staff while wiping the mop against the hardwood floor of the house.

"Hey, Kamito. You really don't need to do that. You should just leave the cleaning to me."

Issei's mother urged but Kamito shakes his head firmly.

"If I'm living under your care Hyoudou-san then I should carry my own weight in house chores. I don't want to feel like I'm freeloading off you and get a free meal without working properly for it."

Issei's mother puts her hand on her face, smitten with the boy's diligent behavior.

"My, my, you're such a good boy. Issei can learn a few things about responsibility from you."

"Hey, Kamito, you don't need to refer to Kaa-chan so formerly. C'mon, call her 'Okaa-san' and you can call me 'Otou-san'..."

"Ah, well..."

Kamito smiles rather sheepishly and stops mopping for a moment.

"...It's kinda embarrassing to call someone like that. I've never had parents so I never called anyone like that before."

Issei's parents start bawling out tears again.

"Sniff...I understand...Please take all the time you need."

"...You poor boy...Kaa-chan. We did the right thing just now taking him in."

If being vague was enough to make them sob this much, adding all the details could mercilessly break the hearts.

Another reason for Kamito not to reveal his past to them. Or anyone.

**Part 9**

"Geez, what the hell is this? First, a new transfer student -a handsome guy no less- comes to my school, starts winning the girls over and begins crashing at my house. Am I cursed or something?"

Issei outwardly complains while assisting Kamito in setting up a room for him.

Right now, Issei was flattening the sheets of Kamito's new bed. There was not much to his room except for a bed and a table, which Kamito said was enough.

"And what's more, he seems to be close with Rias Gremory-oneesama. If I didn't have Yuuma-chan, I would've fucking killed the bastard already."

"Oneesama?"

Kamito suddenly enters the room, carrying his luggage upon overhearing Issei.

"I didn't know Rias was your sister."

"Hah?"

Issei opens his mouth, showing annoyance not at hearing him call her by her first name but his obliviousness.

"Don't tell me you don't know about the great Rias Gremory-oneesama and Himejima Akeno-oneesama of Kuoh Academy!?"

"...Huh?"

Kamito was absolutely clueless.

Issei snaps while slapping his face,

"You mean you transferred to Kuoh Academy without realizing that!? Rias Gremory, the school's number one beauty and Himejima Akeno, the number two beauty! Together they make up the two Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy as voted by both guys and girls! They are essentially the 'Onee-sama's' of the entire school! You did not know that!?"

Kamito answers simply,

"Sorry, afraid not."

Issei's face strikes the floor, having lost his balance.

(This guy's unbelievable!)

This is the first boy who was ever oblivious to that fact. Surely he must've recognized the kind of beauties they were and the kind of fame they held at the Academy. They were essentially the women all the boys want but could never have and Kamito treats it like it was nothing.

"Wait now that I think about it, you called Gremory-san 'Rias' didn't you?"

"Ah, that!"

Kamito scratches his head rather awkwardly.

"It's because she hates it when I use her last name so she told me to call her 'Rias' instead."

"...Are you two...childhood friends?"

"Well...we have a...history."

Issei's face hits the floor again.

(This is why I hate handsome jerks!)

Now he finds out that this guy is close to Rias, and possibly Akeno too!?

This was too much.

This is a case even more unbelievable than Kiba.

Issei was at his limits. If anything, he wanted to kick that guy out as soon as possible.

He was lucky that he had Yuuma-chan. Otherwise, he would without a doubt, kill this guy with his own two hands.

(This is so unfair...!)

Kamito seems to have everything. If so, then why stay here!?

Issei was about to ask but raising his head up, his eyes went into the direction of Kamito's luggage.

His luggage...only consisted of a small travel sack no bigger than a sleeping bag.

In his other hand was a bag carrying a sleeping bag about the same size. It looked old and worn out.

"Is that all you have?"

Issei asks curiously, picking himself up from the ground as he points towards Kamito's back.

"Yeah, ever since I uh, left that 'orphanage' and before I met Rias, I often had to carry light and barely had enough money to stay at a proper hotel. So I just opted to live outdoors for a bit while saving the little money I got from odd jobs for food. I used it a lot when I was out travelling in Europe after I met Rias though."

"B-But, is this seriously all you have though?"

Kamito simply nods his head.

"I got all the necessities at least. And a few changes of clothes. That's all I ever needed really. I never had much use for too many items at once."

"But you and Gremory-san are friends, right? Surely if you asked, she could've helped you out right?"

"If I ask her for anything, she'd give it to me in a heartbeat. But I don't have that right to request help from her after what I almost did to her."

His eyes suddenly became quiet as he spoke that last part in a low voice.

While he had always been aloof, this was the first time that Issei had ever seen Kamito completely silent.

His face showed regret. For something done in the past.

Naturally, Issei couldn't understand.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Kamito turns his face away, hiding his expression from Issei. Facing the closet, he empties out his bag and began hanging his clothes in it.

"...It's nothing. Forget I said anything."

"..."

An awkward silence fills the room.

Issei, who experienced nothing but frustration and disdain for this handsome jerk, suddenly softened the expression on his face.

If it was so easy to forget, he would've done it already.

But for some reason, he couldn't get it out of his head.

Nor could he ignore the air of loneliness that came out from Kamito's profile.

"...Hey, Kamito. Can I ask you something?"

"What is it, Issei?"

"The story you told my mother and father...Is it all true?"

Kamito stops. Partly because he finished hanging the little clothes he had and mainly to consider Issei's question, Kamito stood there silently.

After a while, he finally answers,

"...Yeah, everything I told them was true. I was an orphan left to fend for myself until I met Rias. Even now...never mind."

"I see..."

Issei's eyes cast downwards as a guilty feeling was born into his heart.

At the beginning, he thought Kamito was just some handsome jerk who was all chummy with the two great ladies of Kuoh Academy.

He thought he was just some petty rich boy with good looks, girls, and everything he wanted handed to him on a silver platter and a privileged heir to some kind of fortune.

But it was clear that wasn't the case.

All he had were his good looks. That's all he had. He was born with a nice face but had to work hard for everything else.

He had no parents, no support, he had no one to depend on but himself.

If anything, wasn't Issei born into a more privileged life than he was?

He had a family, a house, good food to eat every day, and friends he could have fun with.

Kamito didn't.

He felt like a jerk. A real jerk.

"Hey, Issei. I know you're not exactly comfortable with me living here. If you want, I can take with Rias to see if I can re-arrange for something else."

Kamito suddenly offered, ready to take down the clothes he had just hung up.

Issei would've normally jumped to that but after learning more about his circumstances, he had a bit of a change of heart.

This guy...Even despite what he's been through, he showed more obvious concerns for others rather than himself.

Issei felt horrible.

(This guy...really is a good person.)

Then his mouth opened up and he started talking before his mind could even think,

"Ah, no, you don't have to do that...It's just..."

Issei scratches the back of his head awkwardly. He had a hard time forming the right words to say and how to say it.

He is an idiot, after all. He never understood the complicated stuff nor was he good at figuring out others.

But he at least knew when to apologize.

"I'm sorry..."

Kamito raised his brow in confusion,

"For what?"

"W-Well, I mean...I guess I've been a little harsh on you because I thought you were this handsome guy who had everything I didn't. But it turns out I'm the one who had things you didn't all along. I was being selfish. Only thinking of myself. I never knew anything about you so I just assumed a lot of stuff. So sorry..."

Kamito blinks his eyes a few times, honestly astonished.

That sounded...incredibly mature for someone like Issei.

(I suppose you aren't completely hopeless after all...)

Kamito sees a glimmer of hope in Issei yet. If he was more like this, he'd be more popular with the girls.

His face then softens as he shows a small smile.

"Alright, apology accepted."

"So...You can stay here...I'm fine with it now. In exchange, Kamito. I want you to help me realize my dream!"

The tone in his voice completely changed. Rather, he was back to the old passionate Issei that Kamito had met at the beginning.

(This isn't good...)

He eyes for the door, looking for a chance to escape.

However, Issei had began talking, screaming so loud that the gods could hear.

"Yes! Tomorrow I have my date with Yuuma-chan! I have it all planned! Listen Kamito, my dream is...to kiss her. And touch her. And suck her oppai! I swore to myself that I will not die a virgin. You see, Kamito. My dream is...to take Yuma-chan's virginity! You'll help me, right? Surely, a handsome jerk like you must've had tons of experience with women! I'm counting on you, brother!"

In his mind, Kamito deeply wonders whether or not it was too late to request a change in housing arrangements.

**Part 10**

The next morning came and Kamito woke up at precisely 7:00 AM like always.

It was a Sunday so there was no school. Kamito had planned to read a book this morning with something that he got from Rias the other day.

He dressed in casual attire. His pajama's merely consist of a black shirt and white pants. He kept both the black gloves on his hands on as he reads his book while sitting on his new bed.

Or at least, he tries to read it anyways.

"Hey, Kamito. Tell me, do these clothes make me look weird?"

Standing in Kamito's room, Issei shows off his outfit.

It seems after yesterday's talk, Issei seems to have accepted Kamito.

Just the next morning, he barged in asking Kamito for fashion advice.

Before that, he was asking what kind of cologne or body spray he should use.

And before that, he asked if his hair was alright.

(If I had known it was like this, I'd much rather he hate me.)

Kamito sighs before examining Issei's profile.

His hair was cleaned up nicer than usual and he had a manly husk of a scent that he could smell from here.

His outfit consisted of a black shirt with a red outline on the collar, a simple grey jacket and a new pair of dark pants.

He suspects he will be going out with a nice pair of shoes but other than that, everything seems to fit into place.

Issei looked like he was about to go out on his first date. Rather, that's exactly it.

Apparently, Issei spent hours picking this outfit and it looked like it was time well spent.

"It looks good. I think she'll like it."

Kamito answers half-heartedly.

Issei simply stomps his foot and points his finger at Kamito.

"Hey! What's with that reaction!? You should be happy for me, man! This is my first date! We should celebrate when I get back! Celebrate from my graduation from being a virgin."

Kamito was no expert in dating but he was certain at least that losing your virginity does not normally happen on the first date.

Issei looked like he was daydreaming about the date he was about to have in a few hours.

"I'll finally lose my virginity and it's all thanks to you, Kamito!"

"I didn't do anything though. Lose your virginity first before you start thanking me."

"For all your help, I shall pass all my porno mags and DVD's to you!"

"You can keep them. Or better yet, just burn them."

"Watch me, Kazehaya Kamito! I will ascend the steps towards manhood before you!"

"...Do I have to watch?"

He wasn't sure at this point if he and Issei were having the same conversation anymore.

Issei who was about to head out the door, says to Kamito.

"Alright, I'm heading off! Wish me luck."

"Good luck."

Kamito responds half-heartedly again but Issei had already left out the door of his room before he could hear it.

Hearing the footsteps stomp down the stairs and the front door of the house suddenly open and close in succession, Kamiro was left a little impressed by Issei's speed.

"I hope all goes well for him."

Kamito murmurs mostly to himself as he flips the page of his book.

He kept reading it for a few hours in his room in silence, only coming out to either go to the bathroom, prepare his own meal or do some cleaning around the house.

He flips page after page, the only sound made was the ticks coming from the wall clock above his desk. He had finished his homework last night, leaving him nothing to do.

He doesn't often explore the option of television or video games since he never used them much as a kid.

As such, the only pastime he could think of was doing some reading. A few hours had already passed since he finished the book he started reading since this morning.

Closing the covers together, Kamito lets out a breath of air.

"Not bad. I should ask Rias for what other recommendations she might have."

Kamito raises his head then looks up at the wall clock. Already, it was about half past 4.

"Wow, I've been reading for that long, huh?"

Issei has yet to return. He seems to still be on a date with Yuuma.

Amano Yuuma.

For some reason, Kamito can't get that girl out of his head.

He wasn't attracted to her or anything. It was just something about her face that reminded him of someone.

He just can't put his finger on who.

What does he even know about the girl?

Apparently, she just became Issei's girlfriend the other day.

And the other day, Kamito had learned that Issei may be in possession of a Sacred Gear from Rias.

In fact the whole reason he's here was to keep watch of Hyoudou Issei and see if he has potential.

He only stayed home today because he didn't want to tail him and bother him on his first date.

(Wait a minute...Didn't Rias say something else?)

Kamito tried to recall something that she had said,

_"There have been reports of Fallen Angels hiding somewhere in the city."_

Kamito suddenly turned pale as his eyes slowly widened with horrific revelation. The blood flowing through him suddenly became cold.

(Fallen Angels hiding in the city...)

(Amano Yuuma who had just became Issei's girlfriend)

(And Rias who had just recently told me to keep tabs on Issei)

(This is all too close to be considered a coincidence.)

(And Amano Yuuma's face...)

Kamito searches through his memory banks again.

This time, he filtered the faces of all the human's, Devils, and Angels that he has seen and focused only on one faction:

Fallen Angels.

Going through his mind of the faces of all the fallen angel's that he's seen, his eyes suddenly snapped wide open as he raised his head up.

"Oh no...!"

With the clothes already on him, he explodes out of the door to his room, putting his shoes on quickly and makes a desperate race out the doorway at breakneck speed.

Only taking a moment to lock the door and put on his shoes, Kamito wasted no time. Empowering his legs with demonic power, Kamito leaps up to the roof of the Hyoudou house and began leaping from house to house towards the city.

His jumps were so high, he practically flew through the air.

One of the benefits that came of being a Devil were abilities like this. However, when Kamito was human, the feat of jumping over rooftops was still as simple as breathing. His increased prowess as a Devil simply increased the distance and height he's able to jump.

As he soars through the sky with each leap, he scans the area below from both sides of his head furiously.

He should still be able to see Issei from here. The problem is finding him.

(Damnit! Damnit! Why didn't I realize it sooner!?)

Why Amano Yuuma's face was so familiar and yet the name wasn't.

It was so obvious.

It was because Amano Yuuma wasn't her real name.

Yes, her real name is-

"...Raynare...!"


	2. Life 1

Alright looking at the reviews for this, it's clear the people have spoken and want more of this fic...Well, it's just 12 reviews but whatever, I'll take it.

Now normally, I don't update this fast. However, since half the chapter consisted of boring explanations and terminology, it was easy to get finished. Honestly, I just wanted to get the introductory stuff over with already and move onto the fun stuff later on.

Now a few quick announcements I like to make:

Confirmed seirei characters include: Est, Restia, Muir, Lily Flame. However, they will appear later in the story. Everyone else is pending.

Also some changes to the DxD universe includes:

Issei's role will be diminished with Boosted Gear being more of a support-type meant to support allies. This is so that I could focus more on Kamito's role as the main character.

I might be forgetting something else, I'm not sure. I'll bring it up later, I suppose.

Still trying to study up the characterization, so please bare with me. Thanks.

Read, Review and Enjoy. The fun stuff will be later on. So please bare with this at least.

**Life 1: The sword that pierces truth**

**Part 1**

Hyoudou Issei is a second year high school student, currently experiencing the time of his youth.

Now, he is not exactly a popular boy, despite his well-renown reputation at Kuoh Academy.

If anything, he was the exact opposite of a popular boy.

That's because he's infamous for being a pervert.

And that's because he is a pervert.

He, along with his friends Motohama and Matsuda is famous for peeking into the girl's kendo club changing room.

That and they fact they publicize their own perversions earned them the worthy name of 'Perverted Trio'.

And due to that form of infamy, one would think that Hyoudou Issei getting a girlfriend was as likely as a kitten beating up a timber wolf in a boxing match.

So for a guy whose only interest was in perverted stuff every day, had experienced a really blissful moment in his time of youth.

"Please go out with me."

A confession from a really cute girl. Of course, Issei jumped at the chance.

He, who has never had a girlfriend in his 17 years of living, felt that he was really moving up in his time of youth.

His new girlfriend is Amano Yuuma. Her slikly black hair, slender body made Issei fall for her at first sight.

For a while, he couldn't believe it. For a moment, he honestly believed it was some sort of prank.

But despite thinking that, he still accepted.

After all, he had always been unpopular with girls.

So he wanted to believe, even for the moment, that he was a guy with a girlfriend.

He felt bad for his friends, who were still single, but not as much as he felt happy towards himself.

He became more confident in himself and more determined to become better for his new girlfriend.

It was then that his world changed. And in the way he least expected it.

It happened just after he started going out with Yuuma.

"Alright, class. We have a new student joining us today."

The new transfer student's name was Kazehaya Kamito.

Just from stepping into the class, Kamito became the heartthrob of the entire class, especially with the girls.

He was essentially the 'second Kiba'.

A handsome boy with an aloof expression on his face.

In a way, he is also the opposite of Kiba's princely charm, with an air of mystery around him that intrigued all the girls in his class.

Still, that didn't change that Issei saw Kamito as an enemy, like he did with all handsome, and popular looking boys.

If it weren't for the fact that he had his own girlfriend now, he would be in the same boat as everyone else and be forming Kamito-hate alliances with the other boys.

So on a whim, he decided to approach him, since he is a new guy at school and he looked completely lost and didn't know his left and right.

After all, they were in the same class now, he feels he should at least try to get along with him since they'll be sitting close to each other.

And because of his new girlfriend, Issei felt the need to mature a little and not try to be the perverted, easily jealous guy he once was.

So he started a conversation with him.

It turned out better than he expected.

Kamito didn't look down on him, nor did he sound condescending.

He didn't laugh at him.

He didn't belittle him.

He simply talked to him like a normal classmate would

Even aware of the fact that he is one of the 'Pervert Trio', it didn't change the way he talked to him.

And then Issei thought,

'He's a good person...'

He honestly thought their relationship would be like that of normal classmates.

For once, normal classmates.

Kamito was the only one he didn't look at like some kind of cockroach.

So, he sort of wanted to be friends with that guy.

However, Issei knew where to draw the line.

Upon finding out that Kamito would be living in the same house as him, he literally fainted.

And what's worse, when finding out that he has a history with the school's number one beauty, Rias Gremory, Issei's eyes flared up with jealousy as his hatred towards the handsome boy sparked again.

Having won over his own parents with those charms of his, Issei was forced to deal with the new transfer student that suddenly crashed and started freeloading off his house.

At first, Issei wanted to kick him out.

Living in the same house with a good-looking guy was like torture.

But that all changed when he learned more about Kamito.

Learning more about his circumstances, Issei's behavior softens towards him. He even began to pity his past a little.

Even without knowing the details, he understands at least that Kamito didn't have an easy life.

That he wasn't blessed with everything.

And so, he decided to cut him break, and after one long sleepover with Issei constantly inquiring Kamito about how to approach his upcoming date with Yuuma, he realized,

'This guy has a good personality.'

Issei is an only child so he knew nothing of what it's like to have siblings.

But he wonders if this is what it's like to have an older brother.

He gives good advice, he has a kind personality and he's cool as ice.

Issei wanted to be like him, somewhat, and most of all, he felt comfortable turning to him when he needed help or advice.

Even just the morning before his date, he went to Kamito for his opinion on his clothes.

His feedback was half-hearted but he seemed supportive at least.

Also adding his assistance to the plan he made for his date, Issei felt 100% confident in himself as he heads out the door.

He arrived to the date spot about three hours earlier than planned. Clearly, he was too excited. He spent the time leisurely counting the girls that passed by him.

When Yuuma finally arrived, Issei said,

"Don't worry. I also just got here."

Issei always wanted to say that.

Then they walked while holding hands. Issei couldn't stop blushing. He was on a date while holding hands with his beautiful girlfriend.

So moved, he wanted to burst into tears.

However, he tried to maintain himself. He didn't want to look un-cool in front of her.

They started by going to a clothing store and having a look at decorations.

For lunch, they went to a family restaurant together like he had always imagined, and Yuuma was eating a chocolate parfait. Issei looked full just looking at her.

For once, Issei was at the highest point in his life. For once he felt what it's like to be truly alive.

He wanted to engrave this memory of his first date with his first girlfriend into his mind forever.

He wanted to thank his Mom for giving birth to him, tell his dad not to worry, and thank Kamito for his advice.

While thinking about all sorts of things, it was already afternoon.

Their date was reaching the climax.

Then Issei wondered,

(Kiss!? A kiss before going home!? Oh, maybe we will go even further!)

Issei's horny mind was constantly thinking about things along those lines.

They reached a park away from the town. There is no sign of people, and no one was there besides the two of them.

Issei's erotic imagination began to build up.

Yuuma already lets go of his hand and was already standing before the fountain.

It sure was fun today."

Yuuma smiles before the fountain.

Issei's heart throbbed, seeing how cute she was with that smile.

The sunset gave a good atmosphere.

""Hey, Issei-kun."

"What is it, Yuuma-chan?"

"There is something I want to do to celebrate our first date. Can you listen to my wish?"

Issei wouldn't stop blushing. His mind kept thinking of the best possible situation.

It's gonna happen. It'll definitely happen!

Issei checked his breath, prepared his mind and tries to calm down his throbbing heart.

"W-What is the w-wish you want?"

The words did not come out of his mouth right at all. So nervous, Issei kept shaking right there.

But Yuuma just smiles at him.

She then says it clearly,

"Will you die for me?"

Issei's mind blanked at that moment.

It wasn't that he couldn't hear. In fact, his hearing was perfect.

However, the words were so unbelievable that it was hard to believe.

"...Eh? That is...huh, sorry, can you repeat that again? I think there's something wrong with my ears."

He asked her again.

But...

"Will you die for me?"

She clearly says it again, laughing as she does it.

Her words made no sense. Issei thought it was a joke and was about to pass it off as such...

Black wings then appeared from her back.

The wings began to flap. Black feathers float in the air and decorated the skies.

Issei always thought she was cute like an angel but this was too much.

(There's no way)

Was it all an act?

Issei's beautiful girlfriend who is flapping her wings while the sun sets behind her. It looks like a scene from a fantasy story.

Her cute looking eyes change into cold scary eyes.

"It was fun. The short time I spent with you. It was like playing house with a little child."

Yuuma's voice was cold and had the tone of an adult. Her mouth formed a cold smile.

A heavy sound vibrates in the air.

It makes a lot of buzzing and an object appeared in her hands.

It looked like a spear. A spear made up of lights.

The sound of the wind being sliced. A nasty noise follows after it.

Issei thought something grazed his stomach. The spear that was in her hand pierces his stomach.

The spear was thrown at him.

(Why?)

He tried to pull it out but it disappears.

There was only a huge hole left in his stomach.

And blood was flowing out from it.

He became dizzy and eyesight became blurry. He was lying on the ground, legs lost all strength to even stand up.

Footsteps close in as he lied on the ground.

A small voice vaguely reaches him.

"Sorry. You were a threat to us, so we decided to get rid of you early. If you want to hold a grudge, then hate the God who put the Sacred Gear inside you."

(...Sacred, what...?)

Issei couldn't even ask the question with his throat choked with his own blood. Her footsteps get further away.

At the same time, he started to lose consciousness. The hole in his stomach. It must be fatal.

But he doesn't feel pain.

He feels that he is about to lose consciousness.

(Are you serious...? Am I going to die at this age? I haven't even lived half of my life yet!)

What was going to happen from then on?

Would Motohama and Matsuda cry if he died? Probably not.

He would like to apologize to his mom and dad, for never doing a thing to please them.

It won't be fun when they find his prono magazines after his death.

He was certainly thinking the strangest things as he was nearing death.

Getting killed by getting stabbed by his girlfriend at the park.

Even Kamito might laugh upon hearing that.

Ah, that's right. He was going to celebrate his first date with that guy when he got home.

That doesn't seem possible now.

It was strange. He certainly would've liked to talk to that guy more. Become better friends with him.

They didn't get off in the right foot.

It would be nice if they could just start over.

Yes, if he was reborn, he wanted to start off on better terms with that guy.

Issei tries to open his eyes with the last of his strength.

It was strange.

He can see him right now, soaring through the air towards him.

Was it just his imagination?

It felt weird, thinking of another dude just moments before his death.

The image of him before his eyes looked so real, it was like he was coming right for him.

Maybe this was the angel meant to escort him to heaven. Or hell.

It looks like he was about to die...

If Issei had at least one regret in his life it would be...

That he never got the chance to grope Yuuma's oppai.

**Part 2**

Amano Yuuma couldn't stop laughing as she pincher her index finger with her lips.

"That was too easy. Teenage boys are always so easy to play with. All you need to do is pretend to like them and their head gets filled with stupid idea."

She licks her fingers playfully, which still had the fresh, tingly sensation that came from launching her spear of light into the boy's stomach.

It was a sweet taste. Sweeter than that parfait she was treated to earlier today.

She will be sure keep this memory for the rest of her long life.

She had never met a boy as stupid and gullible as him.

"I almost feel bad, playing with the boy's heart like this...Yeah, right!"

Yuuma started laughing madly to herself. It was an insane, incomprehensible laugh, almost like a mocking boast.

"Now then.."

Yuuma opens up her palm, and with a familiar static, her hands gather a mass of light, forming another spear, not unlike the one she had earlier.

The boy was as good as dead. As a mere human, he could not possibly survive a mortal blow to the stomach.

The blood kept flowing out of his body. He should've bled to death by now.

Even so, she cannot shake this uneasy feeling.

"I suppose I can take off his head as a trophy to remember him by."

But before she could take a single step towards the boy's corpse, a shadow looms over her.

"Huh?"

Suddenly her surroundings were slightly darkened.

It was too soon for the sun to have fully set. There should still be light.

An unnatural shadow was cast over her body, one filled with incredible hostility.

"Above!?"

Yuuma snaps her head up.

A shadow-like silhouette pounces from above.

A black sword entered her view. The sword's characteristics consist of a thin, single edged black blade.

The black sword that came to her eyes drew a path like a black flash. A bright swing that leaves a lingering trace in the sky.

The blade that struck without hesitation, did not hit Yuuma. She ducks, avoiding the swing that aimed for her neck.

No, it was just an accident. It all happened on reflex because Yuuma was scared.

"Kyaaah!"

She screamed as the sword flew over her head. Had she not reacted, her head would've rolled to the ground before she would've realized the cut.

Flinching over a moment, Yuuma raised her head up and with a hoarse voice,

"Wha-What was that?"

She could not comprehend what it was. All she saw was a black sword coming her way. She could not see the hand that wield it.

"Shit...! I was too late!"

It was a voice. A boy's to be precise. It wasn't Issei's. This one had a different tone to it than his.

However, Yuuma had her eyes peeled wide open.

There should be no one else here in the park with them.

At least, she would've known if someone's presence was nearby, whether it was human, Devil or a fellow Fallen Angel.

And yet, she detected nothing. She had only noticed the hostile blade coming on coincidence.

Such an invisible presence should not exist.

Yuuma raises her head up, noticing the young man standing over Issei's bloodied body. His clothing consisted of only a black shirt, white pants, simple shoes and a glove on his right hand.

His left hand held a black sword. The same blade that was used against her.

"...No, it looks like he's still alive. But just for a while. I need to call Rias over here. We should be able to save him with reincarnation..."

Murmuring strange words to himself, Yuuma shrieks out with her face having been twisted by her earlier fright,

"Wh-Who the hell are you!?"

The boy answers in a chilly voice,

"I wish I could say the same to you, Raynare..."

Yuuma, or rather, Raynare gasps with absolute shock upon hearing her real name.

Spoken from such an unworthy mouth no less.

She never recalled giving him or anyone else permission to use her real name.

The sound of it spoken out from the stranger's mouth made a cold feeling run through her body.

"How-How dare you call me by my first name!"

She clenches her teeth sharply.

"Who the hell are you!?"

The boy turns around, revealing the face of a handsome Japanese teenager. Gripping a single edge black one-handed sword in his left hand, a violet colored magic circle with a crescent moon design was glowing on the face of his ungloved hand.

"I'm guessing you don't recognize me, do you? Then again, I'll be surprised if you Fallen Angels ever learned the name of even one of the student's you've trained and brainwashed into becoming your personal killers."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

The boy simply smiles. But his eyes were cold as ice.

"It's nothing. Just musing about the past. Maybe..."

Kamito's smile fades as he raised his sword up before him.

"...This will jog your memory."

Kamito bends his body in a low stance, and kicking off the ground, an explosion of sound rang through the air and his body vanished.

"What!?"

Raynare didn't blink but he still vanished. His body ascended to a speed that couldn't be detected by the eyes.

Meta Three-Dimensional Movement-A skill Kamito learned from his earlier days at his old school. It allowed the user to be able to move along any terrain and any angle as if it was a flat smooth surface.

Through training, Kamito managed to develop an arsenal of techniques derived from this acquired agility.

The technique he performed was known as [Thunderclap]. This allows Kamito to move at god-speed towards his opponent.

The gap between them closed the second Raynare blinked. Her eyes reopened and by coincidence, she stared down at her shoes.

She saw her foe right at her feet, midway in swinging his sword across at her legs.

Raynare flapped her wings and leaped out of purely reflex, narrowly dodging the blade that lightly scratched through her left leg.

Assassination Technique [Snakes and Scorpions]. An assassination technique were the user keeps a low stance swiftly moves across the ground while attacking the opponents feet. Combined with Thunderclap, would normally make it easy to cut through an opponent's legs and keep them from running.

It was mere luck that saved her as well as her increased speed when ascending with her fallen angel wings.

Pain inflicts her face as fresh blood dropped from the scar on her leg.

Raynare felt more humiliated than anything else.

A mere child dared to lay a scratch on her beautiful, soft skin.

"How dare you...!"

Kamito did not give her even an inch to attack. Quickly drawing his blade towards his face, he grips tightly as he aims upwards.

[Flying Snake] - An assassination technique where the user unleashes an upward slash at godly speed.

The blade flashed.

Wind sliced upwards and the sensation scatters Raynare's hair into the wind.

She could not even see the blade move.

The attack missed its mark.

No, that's not quite right.

A thin cut up the center of her blouse opens the thin cloth, letting her ample breasts spill out.

That wasn't an attack meant to kill. It was a warning. A taunt.

She was being played with, looked down upon.

By this child...!

But there was something not right with this child.

These techniques weren't anything a normal human, Demon, Angel or even Fallen Angel should be capable of.

This godly speed, deadly accuracy and most of all, silent killing intent.

And the cold look in his eye as he silently glares at her with his sword pointed upwards, she's seen that look before.

The revelation of old memories than strikes her mind like a speeding train.

"You were...from the [Instructional School]!?"

A cold smile formed on his lips.

That smile sent chills down even her spine.

"That's right, I'm one of the assassins you Fallen Angels made and tried to dispose of all those years ago."

Raynare spreads her wings and backs away, gliding upwards away from now-dangerous foe.

"H-How?! How are you still alive?! We made sure that we disposed of all of them when we destroyed the facility!"

Kamito however, made no attempts to chase after her in the sky despite how easily he could've done it.

Instead, he stays on the ground with his black sword, the [Vorpal Sword] resting on his shoulder.

"I guess you've missed one then. You should've been more thorough when cleaning up your own messes. Now I'm a Devil serving the House of Gremory and you're trespassing our territory!"

Kamito points his sword with deadly hostility.

"Tch...Wait, that face...Now I remember you...! Kazehaya Kamito! The [Instructional School's] strongest assassin!"

Raynare bites on her lips and her hands clenched tightly at this development.

This went beyond what Raynare expected. She never thought that she would run into these incredibly dangerous monsters in a place like this.

And what's more, one of these specialized assassins have joined the Devils no less.

And not just any assassin, this is the strongest assassin the Fallen Angels have ever produced. Now in the hands of the enemy.

This only made things more difficult for the Fallen Angels now.

Now Raynare had no choice. The appearance of Kazehaya Kamito had changed the situation completely.

Recognizing the danger and threat this boy posed, Raynare had no choice but to withdraw,

She will die if she faces this boy head on.

"Whatever, my job is done here! As for you boy, you will regret ever raising that sword against the hand that raised you...!"

Raynare brandished her wings. Scattering her black feathers, she flew up into the sky.

No doubt, he would see that woman again. He only spared her because of the trouble it might cause the Gremory Group for laying a hand on a Fallen Angel. Or perhaps it was just an old nostalgia towards the past that led him to spare her on a whim.

However, this was only a one-time feeling.

"Next time I see her, she's dead."

Kamito expressed bitterly as his black sword releases a black flash of light before being absorbed back into the magic circle in his left hand.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his glove and re-wraps if over his left hand.

"...The hand that raised you, huh?"

He repeats those words left in his head out of spite.

The way that woman phrased it, it made it sound like he betrayed the Fallen Angels.

It was the Fallen Angels that betrayed him first, after he was thoroughly used up by them.

In fact, it wasn't even betrayal. He never had a healthy relationship with them to begin with.

A long time ago, there was a group of Fallen Angels who along with several excommunicated members of the Church established a secret facility designed to gather individuals from orphanages or relief institutions and put them under special training.

That was the [Instructional School].

The goal of this school was to create a group of disposable soldiers to fight against Devils and Angels. By gathering humans and training them to become assassins specialized in killing Devils and Angels, the group of Fallen Angels that directed the school had planned to use these humans as pawns when they wage war with the Devils and Angels.

These assassins are also supplied to affiliates who established the school to serve as personal assassins.

Their goal has taken a step further when adding Sacred Gears into producing their assassins. By collecting children in possession of Sacred Gears, the goal was to create specialized assassins capable of single-handedly destroying enemy armies.

Those who were raised there were exceptional assassins. Their emotions were conditioned away by the inhumane education, and nothing but killing techniques against Devils and Angels were thoroughly drilled into them.

The training included hypnotism, drug administration, inhumane experiments and biologically engineering their bodies in order to turn them into the perfect killing machine.

However, the directors that established the school, realized the danger their own assassins posed to their kind. When a rumor spread about how their assassination techniques not only worked against Devils and Angels but the Fallen Angels as well, immediate action was taken to shut down the facility and dispose of every assassin that could prove a danger to the Fallen Angels.

In short, they destroyed the school and killed everyone of the very assassins they created, in fear they would retaliate.

Except for one.

Kazehaya Kamito was the one that escaped death and Raynare was one of the fallen angels that previously supported the project and then assisted in the massacre that killed all of his fellow students.

Of course, at the time, he wasn't even capable of feeling emotions like anger and hatred, so he bore no grudge against Raynare for what happened in the past.

However, he recognized that she could hardly be called an ally. If anything, she was his enemy.

He remembered that twisted, sadistic face as she constantly skewered people he knew with her spears of light.

Such a person, who took such a sweet delight in killing the very people whose lives they twisted due to their own selfishness, could never be his friend.

"But what is she doing here...?"

Kamito wondered but he shakes his head.

"I'll worry about that later. First, I have to deal with Issei."

Turning around, he runs over to Issei and examines his unconscious body.

A dangerous amount of blood formed a pool that soaked his body. Kamito could even see through the large hole in his stomach.

His face was pale and on the verge of losing all color.

"This isn't good...Even Akeno-san can't heal a wound like this by herself."

That only left one option.

"Reincarnation..."

Using the Evil Pieces, it is possible that he would reincarnate into a devil.

According to Rias, 4 pieces are required. So it's entirely possible.

If Kamito asked, Rias would come and use them up in a heartbeat.

(Should I do it?)

He barely had enough time to determine whether Issei's potential was worth it.

If it turns out that he was weak, he would just get killed again later on, or perhaps face a fate worse than death later on.

But if it turns out that there was more to him than just the perverted lech he is, then he'll not only survive but he'll become a great help to the group.

It was a gamble.

Both possibilities had an equal chance of happening.

(But if Issei really is worth 4 pieces...then he should have potential, right?)

Kamito is willing to take that bet.

What's more, he couldn't let the one who let him into his house simply die right in front of him.

"I'll think of something to say to Rias later. For now..."

Kamito draws out his cell phone and quickly dials the first contact that appears on his list.

"...Hello, Rias? It's about Issei, I believe he'll be a great piece to have for our group...But you need to come here fast."

**Part 3**

Returning to an undisclosed location, Raynare was immediately greeted by her fellow allies, all adorned with black angel wings on their back.

A middle-aged gentleman with short black dressed in a pale violet trenchcoat over a white dress shirt with a matching ascot, black pants and shoes, peeked his dark blue eyes out from under his black fedora.

"You're late, Raynare. It is not like you to take so long."

"Shut up, Dohnaseek. I was busy..."

The foul-tempered Raynare glares openly at the man and speaks with a lower pitch on her voice.

She takes on the more mature appearance of a taller, more mature woman with a sharper look in her eyes. Her clothing also changed dramatically, now consisting of black, strap-like objects (resembling leather) around and under her breasts, a thong-like piece held around her hips by three thin straps, gloves that run right up her arms with small lengths of chains hanging from them, shoulder guard-like objects on her shoulders with three large spikes sprouting from her right shoulder, and black thigh-high heel boots.

Then, a tall and buxom woman with long, navy blue hair that obscured her right eye and brown eyes stepped towards Raynare. Her outfit consisted of a violet, trenchcoat-like top with a wide collar, a matching miniskirt, and black heeled shoes. The trenchcoat top was open at her chest, giving view to her breasts and cleavage. She also wore a gold necklace around her neck.

"Did the boy give you trouble or something?"

"No, that brat was no problem at all, Kalawarner. However, we got a bigger problem on our hands."

Then a younger-looking girl with blonde hair styled in twin short side ponytails and blue eyes wore an amused smile. She wore a Gothic Lolita outfit, which consisted of a black Lolita dress with white frills, a large black bow on the front, and a green jewel embedded on the collar, white thigh-high socks, and black shoes. She also wore a large black bow on top of her hair.

"Hoh? Did you find another stupid boy with a powerful sacred gear to play with or something?"

The girl snickers to herself and the others began to laugh as well.

However, Raynare wore a grim, serious face as she says to everyone,

"It seems one of the [Instructional School] Assassins are still running around, Mittelth. And he's joined the devils no less."

The smirks on everyone's faces dropped upon hearing the noise. They were all struck silent.

Raynare continued,

"And this one is none other than Kazehaya Kamito himself."

Everyone's reactions were that of shock and horror.

"Kazehaya Kamito!? That monster!?"

"I thought he was dead! But he's on the side of the devils now!?"

"This isn't good...! What should we do, Raynare?!"

Everyone had a reason to fear him. Back when the Instructional School was still around, he was known as the Strongest Assassin, with more kills to his name than anyone else.

He even slaughtered a few of his own Fallen Angel Instructors by accident during a training exercise.

They thought the nightmare that boy created was over when the school was shut down.

"All of you, just shut up...! I'm trying to think of how to deal with him."

Raynare snaps at all of them and Dohnaseek suggests,

"Perhaps there is a way we can bring that boy to our side."

"You fool, that will never work. Even then, he's too dangerous to keep alive. We have no choice but to kill. But how?"

Raynare asks herself the question,

How does she deal with a man whose an expert in assassinating Devils, Fallen Angels and Angels?

**Part 4**

He sat on top of a girl while surrounded in a pool of blood, surrounded by Devils reduced to a pile of chopped meat.

In his right hand was a white sword.

In his left hand, a little girl's neck.

Even though they were the same age, they were both children, they stood on opposite ends.

She had beautiful long crimson hair.

He had a face stained with the blood of others.

This girl may be a devil but he was the one with the face of a monster.

Her soul was pure white.

He was stained black.

And as such, he was jealous of her.

So jealous that, he wanted to stain her black as well.

He wanted to stain that pure, innocent face red as well.

Gripping tight on her neck with his sword aimed to her face, he had intended to kill her with a single thrust.

He never asked why someone wanted this girl dead and frankly, he didn't care.

He will carry the task given to him no matter what.

For him, who only knew how to kill, this was the only life he could follow.

He was going to kill her, just like all the others.

Then, he would go on to kill his next target, taking down anything that got in his way.

It was just an endless routine for him.

However, he didn't thrust his blade and finished the task.

It wasn't because she was a child.

He had killed many other children through the course of his life without batting an eye.

Most of them were even former colleagues he knew from his old school.

No, the reason he couldn't kill this girl was because...

She had a deep look in her eyes as she stared up at his face.

Throughout his entire life, his targets had only shown senseless terror in their eyes during the last moments of their life before he takes it away.

Such a reaction is natural. When you die, you're dead. Everything ends for you there. It's only natural to show fear when you're life is about to be taken away.

And yet, this girl didn't.

It wasn't that she didn't show fear, she didn't have any fear to begin with.

That shouldn't be possible.

She should've known by now that he came to kill her, didn't she?

And yet despite that, why wasn't she afraid?

And why did her eyes show only confusion and sadness?

Those sincere blue-green eyes.

"You poor thing..."

Like trying to reach out to a stray, injured puppy, the girl speaks with a gentle voice.

Her eyes were so emotional. It looked like she was about to cry.

Why would she cry for someone like him?

"To think the world was so cruel as to let you suffer like this..."

Slowly, she raises her hand up, careful not to startle him.

Slowly ever so slowly, she reaches out to his face.

Brushing the long, unkempt hair stained with blood that obscured his face, she rests her hand on his bloody cheek.

Her hand, it was so warm and soft. It felt like his mind was melting as she strokes his face ever so gently.

As if pitying him, as if comforting him, as if trying to say 'Everything is okay', she continues to rub his face gently, as if trying to wipe away the blood.

"You have such a cute, gentle face. Such a face shouldn't get dirty with so much blood."

Why?

Why was she saying such things?

Why did it hurt so much?

Why was his heart in so much pain right now?

How could a girl's words and her voice be so kind and sincere?

Why did looking at that face filled his heart with pain?

It was as if her words unlocked the wall that was formed around his heart.

All the feelings he locked away was suddenly flowing out.

Then a new wetness overwhelms his face. It flowed down his eyes and fell to the girl's face in the form of clear water droplets.

The girl wears a sad smile.

"Please don't cry. Boys don't cry, do they?"

Crying?

Was he crying right now?

Were tears actually coming from his eyes?

The sensation was completely new to him. This was his first time crying in his life, the first time he had experienced tears.

"Boy, I have to ask, do you have a name?"

The girl asks with mysterious curiosity.

For once, the boy opens his mouth and a sound came out,

"My...name...is..."

**Part 5**

Kamito opens his eyes at the dawn of new morning.

Bright morning light enters his room.

He had another dream again. A dream about the past.

About a memory couldn't forget.

His head hurt. His eyes felt tired.

Even without the aid of an alarm clock, he woke up precisely at 7:00 AM as planned.

He still felt tired. His left hand still had a bit of a throbbing pain because of what happened yesterday.

His mind was slightly drowsy. Staring up at the pale white ceiling, Kamito tries to remember.

(Ah, that's right...)

He fought with Raynare, Issei got stabbed. He called Rias over to perform a reincarnation on him to keep him alive and...

(...Did it work?)

The 4 pawn pieces she had went into his body, and the wound closed up. The reincarnation was a success but Issei has yet to regain consciousness since last night.

"Unn..."

Kamito can hear a sweet voice coming from right next to him.

Feeling a strange nostalgia in his mind, Kamito turns around in his bed.

"…!"

Eyes popped wide open, he immediately ends up facing the peaceful sleeping expression of a beautiful girl with crimson hair.

And she was completely naked.

"ZZZZZZZZzzzz...Zzzzzzzz..."

The girl's light snores lightly brush against his face. Their faces were so close, they could almost kiss.

"..."

Kamito had completely forgotten an old habit of hers.

Rias Gremory is a woman that likes to sleep naked. Oh and she has a habit of cuddling with others as she sleeps.

Particularly Kamito.

A full view of her snow-white skin can be shown right before his eyes and she had so little cover-up, her large breasts can be seen pressed against the bed. Her full crimson hair scatters against the bedsheets.

He can see everything from her breasts, her hips, her long white legs, thighs and finely shaped butt.

A long time ago, when he became a member of Rias Gremory's peerage, this girl had an odd habit of making him sleep in the same bed as hers, while she used him as a hugging pillow.

Of course, that was a long time ago, and since then Rias has matured in a lot of places. Especially, her chest.

So Kamito wasn't surprised that he found her in his bed. Rather, he's just puzzled as to why she still had this habit, especially here.

Silence for about half-a-minute.

"...What are you doing here?"

The girl seems to have woken up from the sound of his voice.

Rias slowly opens her eyes, fluttering her eyelashes. Once they were half-opened, Rias greets him with a sweet smile.

"Ah, Kamito. Good Morning."

"Ah, morning, Rias. No, I shouldn't be saying that! Why are you in my bed? Naked?"

"Is there a problem with me wanting to sleep with my cute Kamito after I haven't seen him for so long?"

"If I had to list the problems one-by-one, I'd start with the fact that I'm a 17 year old boy with hormones and you're lying next to me completely naked!"

"Oh, I have no problem with sleeping naked next to my Kamito. We used to do it all the time, didn't we?"

It's a problem for me though! And we're not exactly kids anymore."

Then Rias' lips formed a seductive smile.

"...Then, would you like to attack me right here?"

"..."

Cold sweat ran down his forehead as Kamito tried not to answer. His face turned red at the sound of those seductive words.

Rias was definitely attractive. And she had grown some delicate proportions. Her thighs looked soft and squeezable and her breasts were so big and firm.

He wondered, if he were to touch them...

(No! Don't do it, Kazehaya Kamito!)

His conscious chastised himself, causing him to freeze up.

(It's a trap! Don't fall for this woman's alluring ploys!)

Before he could think of anything else, his face suddenly digs into his master's breasts.

Or rather, it was pulled in.

"Ufufu, Kamito, you're so cute sometimes~"

Rias suddenly wraps her arms behind Kamito's head and pulls him in, embracing his head tightly into her bosom.

She missed playing with his soft hair and hugging his body which still felt like a wonderful pillow in her arms.

His body had gotten firmer but it was still the Kamito she loved to hold.

With his face smothered by a pair of large breasts, Kamito couldn't breathe, let alone talk.

His muffled noises roughly translates to,

"Let go of me, Rias! If someone walks in on this, they'll get the wrong idea!"

Then with horrible timing,

"UWAAAAAAAH!"

A loud scream came from another room, followed by a series of loud stomps coming towards Kamito's room.

The door to his room swings open and a wide-eyed hysterical Issei barges in with his shirt and boxers, panting like a beast in heat.

"K-K-K-KAMITO! My god, Kamito! I've just had the craziest dream! F-First, I was on a date with Yuuma-chan! T-Then, we went to the park! I thought we were going to kiss! Th-Then these big black angel wings came out of her back and...and...and...Why is Rias-senpai naked in your bed? And you two are cuddling..."

Issei seems to have calmed down. No, it was more like he was in shock.

The sight of a man and a woman embracing each other in bed would leave anyone who walked in just a little bit awkward.

And the woman in this case was naked, no less.

"Oppai..."

Issei murmured like he was hypnotized as his eyes gazed at Rias' naked bosom, the same bosom where Kamito digs his head out and exchange awkward glances.

"Ah, Issei...Umm, good morning?"

Issei was trembling, like a volcano in the verge of erupting.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You...!"

"You?"

"YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!"

Issei runs out of the room, crying!

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Like a baby whose rattle was taken away, Issei runs back to his room crying hysterically.

From Kamito's room, he can hear Issei sobbing while screaming words like,

"How could you, man? How could you ascend to manhood before me?!"

"I trusted you, man! You were like a brother to me!"

Something along those lines.

(This was going to be hard to explain...)

While Kamito thought that, Rias giggled right next to him,

"Our new pawn is a funny one, isn't he?"

"Hahaha...ha..."

Breakfast is going to be awkward.

**Part 6**

"Itadakimasu."

Breakfast ended up feeling awkward.

Kamito and Rias sat on one side of the table while the Hyoudou family sat on the other.

"This meal is very delicious."

"T-Thank you very much."

The only people eating were Rias, who was casually eating her meal and Issei, who was eating it while continuously crying into his food.

Issei's parents kept openly gawking at the new addition to the table, the crimson haired girl and Kamito was too aware of the awkward atmosphere to eat.

An awkward silence that lasted on the dining table for over 5 minutes.

Hey, Kamito. Eat your food. You need to keep up your strength."

"R-Right."

As if suddenly remembering how to eat, Kamito picks up his chopsticks and mechanically tossed food into his mouth.

Finally someone asks the question.

"K-Kamito…"

Issei's father says it with a trembling voice,

"W-Why is Rias…san here?"

Kamito does his best to give a proper answer.

"Ah, well…Rias here was just…checking up on me to see how I was doing.

"THAT'S A LIE!"

Issei rejects the answer immediately, slamming his fist on the table.

He was still crying ever since he walked into 'that'.

"se,se,se,seeeeeeex! You had sex with Rias-senpai last night, didn't you!? J-J-Just this morning, you two were in bed together, right!? And Rias-senpai was n-n-n-naked!"

Issei shouts out things that really shouldn't be said on the dinner table.

Issei's parents had wide open eyes as they give Kamito some dumbfounded stares.

"EHH!? W-What is the meaning of this, Kamito!?"

"I-Is what Issei saying true!? Did you really sleep together in the same bed as Rias-san!?"

"….."

In a way, their claim was true. He indeed slept in the same bed as Rias did. He indeed woke up to find a naked Rias sleeping beside him.

But to say they slept together would just be a little off.

And after what Issei had walked into, even if he tried to explain, they wouldn't believe him.

"Perhaps, I should clear up this misunderstanding you all seem to have."

Rias puts down her eating utensils and addresses the Hyoudou family.

"The truth is…Kamito and I have slept together many times when we were younger."

"…Huh?"

"…Eh?"

"…Eh?"

"…Eh?"

Even Kamito couldn't contain his surprise upon hearing Rias say that.

"Kamito used to have terrible nightmares when he was younger. So I just sleep with him all the time to calm him down."

"Just sleeping together? But Senpai was naked!"

Issei throws back but Rias kept amazing composure as she answers,

"That's because he's like a dear little brother to me. I can't help but adore him."

Issei's mum and dad suddenly became quiet upon hearing that.

"I-Is that so? Then I suppose it's okay."

"Family is important, after all."

Somehow, they were unusually compliant.

"Wait, this is alright!? You two are okay with this!?"

Issei looks at his parents, realizing that their eyes were just a little weird. It was as if they were possessed.

Then Kamito says,

"Ah, sorry. Rias is using a bit of her power as a Devil."

"Power? Wait, Devil?"

"Oh right, I should probably explain. Rias here is a Devil actually. I'm a Devil too. And I suppose you are as well. As of today, Rias is your master."

Kamito points his finger from Rias, to himself, and finally to the dumbfounded Issei.

"Huh? Is this a joke?"

Issei asks seriously but Kamito simply shakes his head,

"Nope, it's all true. I suppose not believing me is natural. But if you want proof, consider this:"

Kamito says it with a serious voice.

"Amano Yuuma is real but no one you know will remember her."

Issei would only realize the full disturbing meaning behind those cryptic words later in the day.

**Part 7**

This morning's walk to school.

Issei went on ahead to his friends, Motohama and Matsuda, partly because he wanted to confirm Kamito's theory and mainly because he didn't want to increase his overwhelming desire to kill Kamito for 'betraying' him any further.

He still vehemently believes that Kamito and Rias slept together last night and that 'sleeping with a school idol' was 'against the rules' somehow.

Well, it couldn't be helped…

(I'd probably think the same thing if I were him.)

He would like to clarify the misunderstanding but he had bigger problems.

Namely, on the way to school, everyone had eyes aimed at his direction.

Next to him was the school idol, Rias Gremory, and he was carrying her bag.

"I-Is that the transfer student? A-And he's next to Gremory-senpai, carrying her bag?!"

"It's only the second day and the two are walking to school together!?"

"Why someone like him…"

"I'm so jealous….!"

"Even the biggest playboy on the planet can't work this fast!"

The scream from the girls were just as bad.

"H-How!? Kazehaya-kun?! With Rias-oneesama?"

"I thought he was a nice guy…"

"D-Don't be fooled! He may look innocent but he must have some charmed his way to get his hands on our onee-sama!"

"Kyaaah, I'm scared!"

"Don't look him in the eye! You'll become another one of his women if you get caught by his alluring gaze!"

Some of the girls even had broken hearts upon witnessing this scene.

Well, it seems Kamito has no choice now but to give up on forging good relations with his peers.

No way can he fix this.

They walk through the school gate and splits up at the entrance.

"Well then, Kamito. I'll leave it to you to take him to the clubroom."

She says it while smiling. Kamito nods his head.

"Yeah, I'll do that."

Then Kamito was alone again. However, the stupefied stares of all of the students around him never went away.

"Rias-oneesama…."

"…called him 'Kamito', didn't she?"

"She did. Very affectionately."

Kamito feels sweat crawling down the back of his neck.

He definitely cannot fix this.

While heading up to class, Kamito's head reflexively sways to the right, allowing a sharp fist to pass over his left shoulder and smash into the wall right in front of him.

"Gack! Why'd you dodge?!"

"Because it would hurt if I didn't!"

Kamito turns around to see Matsuda, clenching his swollen hand while trying hard not to cry.

Motohama was right next to him. He actually cried.

"How did you do it!?"

"Give us your secret!"

"…Huh?"

Kamito gave a deadpan look at the two crying boys.

Clearly, he had no idea what they were talking about.

Then Matsuda yells with an aggravated expression,

"Don't play dumb! You were walking with THE Rias Gremory-senpai! And you haven't been here a week!

"She looked like she was having fun too! I've never seen a boy at her side! Alright, spill it! What did you do!? Teach us your secret! How did you get so close!?"

They were like beggars on the street asking for change.

If those boys knew the full truth, chances are they'll tear him apart.

While considering their fragile hearts, Kamito answers vaguely,

"I didn't really do anything."

The two boys clicked their tongues with dissatisfaction and gives Kamito a hostile glare.

"….You're saying you're a natural-born lady-killer!?"

"Guys like you should just die!"

**Part 8**

After school.

"K-K-K-K-K-Kamito...!"

Issei's face looked really pale. After going through the entire school trying to find evidence of Yuuma's existence, he returns completely spooked upon finding nothing.

Even his own friends didn't know anyone by the name 'Amano Yuuma'. They thought she was just some imaginary girlfriend of his.

Issei was certain to introduce her to them.

They screamed and cried.

He laughed and boasted.

He remembered that time clearly.

But his friend's didn't it. It wasn't an act. They truly didn't know this person.

It was as if she didn't exist. The time he spent with her never happened.

There wasn't even a record of her number, or address on his phone.

He definitely would not delete something like that.

He even memorized it but it said the number wasn't in use.

He called it multiple times but no answer.

He was even prepared to go to the school that had the same uniform as her.

But ran to Kamito before doing that.

Feeling like he was the main character of a terrifying ghost story, Issei looked so scared it was as if he was about to pee himself any moment.

"Hey, Kamito...Just tell me, who was my girlfriend? Who was I dating? Everyone here doesn't seem to remember her! Not even Motohama or Matsuda...! But you remember, right? My best friend in the whole wide world! You remember Yuuma-chan, right? Right?"

The man was crying right in front of his desk.

As if Kamito was his only ally in the world, Issei went crying to him.

The damage done to him was worse than he thought.

(Just this morning he hated me. Now I'm his best friend?)

Kamito sighs as he sunk his shoulders. He gets up from his chair,

"Alright, follow me."

Kamito sets his sights for the classroom foor and Issei raises his head.

"Where are we going?"

"Occult Research Clubroom."

"H-Huh!?"

Issei stands up and follows after Kamito.

The girls of the class start to scream.

"No, for Hyoudou and Kazehaya-kun to walk next to each other!"

"Kazehaya-kun will be corrupted!"

"I won't agree with a HyoudouxKazehaya-kun pairing!"

"Then how about Kazehaya-kunxHyoudou then!?"

"But wait, doesn't Kazehaya-kun have Kiba-kun!?"

"Then it's a HyoudouxKazehaya-kunxKiba-kun love triangle then!"

"Hyoudou doesn't stand a chance against Kiba-kun!"

Issei grumbled under his breath at all the girls giving him hostile glares.

Sinking his head into this collar, he shifts his gaze back and forth.

"What's with all this weird crap? Seriously, shut up, already..."

She then looks towards Kamito that walked just a little bit in front of him.

His expression was as quiet as always. It was as if he didn't even notice all the girl's crying all around him.

This guy is definitely strange.

**Part 9**

At the Occult Research Clubroom, the first to greet the young man was none other than Rias herself.

"Ah, Kamito. You're here. How are things at school?"

Kamito modestly scratches the back of his head.

"Well, it seems some of the boys have formed a group called the 'Kill Kazehaya Kamito' alliance, the girls are afraid to approach me after apparently laying my hands on their beloved 'onee-sama'."

"Ara, Kamito? You laid your hands on another girl?"

"The 'onee-sama' is you!"

She's either completely forgotten about this morning, or just playing dumb to mess with Kamito.

Meanwhile, Akeno stands to the side, giggling,

"Ufufufu, Kamito-kun has become quite popular, hasn't he?"

That did not make Kamito happy. As a former assassin, learning how to operate as the center of the attention was not a skill he ever learned.

Kamito sighs.

"I guess I'll just deal with it as I go then. Anyways, I brought Hyoudou Issei with me."

Simply using his thumb, Kamito pointed to the young man standing next to him with the starstruck eyes, jaw wide enough to fit two fists and a sliver of drool coming from the corner of his mouth.

He looks all around the room, but more importantly, focuses on the people standing around.

He saw Koneko on a sofa, Kiba standing close to a window, Akeno standing at Rias side on her desk.

"W-W-W-What is this place? I-Is this...Heaven!?"

"Uhh, since we're all devils, I'm pretty sure 'Hell' is the more appropriate metaphor."

Kamito who had said that, was suddenly pulled by the collar by Issei, who strangles him roughly in the midst of his excitement.

"What are you talking about!? No matter how you see it, this place can only be called Heaven!"

Issei takes glances from person to person, saying

"First the cute mascot of Kuoh Academy, Toujou Koneko-chan!"

"And then we have the damn handsome prince and casanova, Kiba Yuuto!"

"And who can forget the two great oneesamas of Kuoh Academy, Rias Gremory-senpai and Himejima Akeno-senpai!"

"Finally, we have the silent lady killer, Kazehaya Kamito!"

Kamito points to himself, feeling slightly flattered and mostly mortified.

"Eh, me? I already have a title for myself? Then, I guess Issei would be...Ero-Hyoudou, right?"

"Why do I have such a horrible title compared to all of you!?"

Issei screams, mostly at Kamito.

Akeno puts her hand to her face, astonished.

"Ara ara, I've never heard Kamito-kun tell a joke before..."

Rias sinks her shoulder and rests her face on top of the bridge of her hands. She shares a glance at Kamito and ask,

"Was bringing him a really good idea?"

Kamito's answer,

"I'm starting to ask myself that same question myself."

Koneko lowers her head and held sad eyes,

"I feel bad for Kamito-senpai..."

Kamito pats the girl's head,

"Ah, thank you, Koneko. That makes me feel better."

"Kamito-senpai's hand..."

Koneko's face turns red as she shyly lowers it.

Kamito looks over at Issei and says,

"Well, I guess you know all of us. How about you introduce yourself now?"

"Ah, r-right..."

Issei stands up straight,

"I-I'm Hyoudou Issei-kun. N-Nice to meet you."

He nervously introduces himself to everyone.

Rias starts to talk,

"Looks like everyone is here, Hyoudou Issei-kun. No, Kamito calls you Issei, doesn't he? Then I shall too, then."

"Y-Yes."

"We, the Occult Research Club, welcomes you. As a Devil."

"Huh?"

Issei was dumbfounded to say the least. He remembered hearing something similar to that this morning, but even now he still couldn't believe it.

Kamito crosses his arm and leans against the other side of the sofa.

"Like Ria-I mean, Like Buchou said, we all welcome you as a Devil. You're one of us too now."

"I-I don't really get it..."

Issei takes a seat on the sofa after being silently offered by Akeno. She serves him some tea which he took gratefully.

After taking a few sips of it however, he raises his head back at Kamito who remains at that spot.

"I understand if you don't believe us. This kind of thing is hard to swallow. You know that dream you told me about? The one about Amano Yuuma killing you?"

"Y-Yeah?"

"That was real."

Kamito says it bluntly.

"E-Eh!? Really!?"

Issei was more surprised than he expected. Of course, he knew that wasn't a dream. He remembered it all. It had to be real.

The pain he felt at the time was too real to be considered a dream.

But if it was real, then...

"H-How am I still alive then!? If that dream was real, I should be dead..."

"You can thank Kamito for that."

Rias addresses him with authority in her voice.

"Had Kamito not stepped in when he did and called me over, you certainly would've stayed dead."

"S-Seriously!?"

The wide-eyed Issei shifted his glance from Rias to Kamito, who simply shrugged his shoulders and coolly said,

"I wasn't going to let the guy who gave me a night to stay just roll over and die."

"I-I see...Thanks a lot."

Kamito directs a hard gaze towards Issei,

"-Amano Yuuma."

Issei opens his eyes in shock as he hears that name again.

"She without a doubt existed. As a Fallen Angel."

"...If you're joking around, then can you please stop now? I don't want to talk about this here."

There was anger in Issei's voice.

There was a coldness in Kamito's.

"...Does it look like I'm playing around?"

Issei raised his head up, shivering at the sight of the cold eyes that Kamito momentarily displayed.

It was as if his entire soul was frozen under that gaze.

His eyes returned to normal as Kamito shakes his head.

"We, the Devils, have been at war with the Fallen Angels since ancient times. We have been fighting over the possession of the Underworld, which is also known as Hell in the human world. The Underworld is split into two areas, one for Devils and one for Fallen Angels. The Devils form pacts with humans and receive their sacrifices and increase their strength. The Fallen Angels on the other hand control humans to eliminate Devils. At this point the Angels come in to destroy these two races on God's orders, which creates the three forces. This has been going on since ancient times."

Kamito showed expert knowledge on the subject. That was only because he was one of the humans used by Fallen Angels to eliminate devils.

Rias and Akeno sensed this, and wore sad faces.

"No wait, hold on Kamito. That kind of story is hard to take in by a normal student like myself. Is this what the members of this club do?"

"This club, is nothing more than a camouflage. This is where devils like us, like you, are supposed to gather."

Rias clicks her fingers and Akeno takes out a photo.

Issei was speechless upon seeing that photo.

"I'm pretty sure you recognize her. She's Amano Yuuma, isn't she?"

Kamito asked and Issei nods his head hesitantly.

"Yeah, it's her..."

The person was indeed Amano Yuuma, the girlfriend he apparently hasn't been able to find anywhere.

He had a picture of her on his phone but it disappeared.

The photo is a clear picture of her, and there are black wings on her back.

It takes a while for it all to settle in.

(...A Fallen Angel? Yuuma-chan is a Fallen Angel?)

"Amano Yuuma...No, I should say, Raynare, came in contact with you in order to kill you. Once she thought she pulled it off, she tried to erase all evidence of herself."

"Raynare? Wait, Kamito. How did you know the Fallen Angel's name?"

Rias questioned him. Turning his head away, he answered her,

"...She mentioned it while we were fighting."

Rias could tell from the moment his lips moved, that he was telling a lie.

At Kamito's calm words, Issei stands up and glares harshly at him.

"W-What the hell! W-Why did she have to kill me?!"

He raised his voice. He was getting angry.

Kamito calmly answered him back as he crossed his arms.

"It can't be helped. You were just unlucky."

Issei can feel his anger rising up against Kamito's apparent nonchalant attitude.

"What do you mean unlucky! I'm still alive! More than that, why was I targeted?"

Kamito pinches his chin and surmises,

"It was probably to check if you were a human in possession of a Sacred Gear. I suppose she confirmed it, after taking her time checking you, and decided to have you killed."

"Sacred Gear?"

It looked like a question mark was drawn on his face and Kamito raises his head up, as if remembering something.

"Ah, right. You don't know what that is."

Kiba answers for Kamito,

"Sacred Gear is an irregular power that is bestowed to certain humans. For example, most of the people whose names are recorded in history are said to be possessors of a Sacred Gear. They used the power of their Sacred Gear to record their name in history."

"Presently, there are people who possess Sacred Gears within their bodies. You know those people who play an important role worldwide? Most of those people possess a Sacred Gear."

Kamito continues after Kiba.

Rias then continues to explain,

"Most of the Sacred Gears have functions that are only usable in the human society. But there are exceptional Sacred Gears that are a threat to us, the Devils, and Fallen Angels. Issei, raise your hand."

"Huh? Why?"

Issei asks and Kamito tells him,

"Do it quickly."

He urges him and Issei raises his left arm.

"Close your eyes and imagine the strongest thing that comes to mind."

"S-Strongest being...? Son Goku from Dragon Ball...?"

"Alright, imagine that person in a particular pose where he is the strongest."

"..."

Issei suddenly froze up, leading Kamito to inquire,

"What's the matter?"

"A-Are you serious? D-Do I really have to do this?"

Issei with a troubled face, asked a rather simple question.

"Of course you do, how else are we gonna take out that Sacred Gear of yours?"

"Ah, well, it's just..."

It was too embarrassing. The image of Goku pulling a Kamehameha appeared in his mind.

And he was too old to be mimicking that now.

"Just hurry up already."

"A-Alright! Don't rush me!"

Issei takes a deep breath, trying to collect himself.

"This is...Hyoudou Issei's first and last time doing the Kamehameha!"

"Kamehameha!"

Issei mimics the attack coming from his imagination, releasing all of his shame and humiliation in that one moment.

His left arm begins to glow. Issei panics, his mind having no idea what exactly was going on.

The light takes form and covers his left arm.

It took the form of a red gauntlet. It engulfed his whole arm and it resembled dragon scales.

It is equipped with a flashy looking gem on the face of his hand.

"Uwaah! What is this!? What the hell is this!?"

Issei naturally freaks out at the sight of the red gauntlet on his arm.

Kamito leans forward and stares at it with intrigue.

"So that's your Sacred Gear. Now that it's out, you can use it wherever and whenever you want. If I recall, that one's a Boosted Gear, isn't it? It essentially doubles your abilities every 10 seconds and you can use it to transfer your strength to others. The drawback is that overusing it could be dangerous if the user is not strong enough. It's not bad for a support-type."

Rias raises her head with a piqued interest.

"You seem to know quite a bit about it."

"I've read up on a few of them back at my old school. A Boosted Gear is an uncommon one so I've never seen one myself."

Issei opens his mouth while looking at his gauntlet,

"W-Wait, so this is a Sacred Gear?"

"Yes, when you have something like that. It would make sense why Raynare killed you."

"Y-Yeah about that...H-How am I still alive again?"

"Well..."

Kamito first points a finger to himself and then turns it towards Rias.

"I was the one who fended the Fallen Angel and Rias was the one who reincarnated you into becoming a Devil."

Rias interjected with a calm smile,

"Of course, that never would've happened if Kamito didn't call me over when he did. In short, Hyoudou Issei, it was Kamito that saved your life."

"S-So, Kamito saved me...?"

Issei was astonished. No, he was in absolute awe.

He always knew this guy was a good person. But this was too much.

He really was moved.

It was because of him that he was alive.

"The reason you're alive is because Buchou reincarnated you into a devil. As such, you're one of us. A servant of Rias Gremory."

At that moment, wings sprout from everyone's backs.

The wings were like bat wings.

Issei also felt a similar sensation as the same black wings protrude from his back as well.

"Man, you are seriously full of surprises."

Issei says towards Kamito. The truth was right before him and slowly but surely, he starts to accept it.

"You never told me you were a devil."

"...You never asked."

"Alright, I suppose if introductions are over. Kamito, I'll have you teach Issei all there is to be a devil."

Rias addressed him and for once, Kamito fumbled.

"M-Me?!"

He points to himself with eyes full of disbelief.

Rias then explains,

"Why not? You two seem close and the way you handled explaining everything to Issei earlier was quite impressive. I feel no one would be better to the task than you."

"Yes, I agree with Buchou."

"I as well. Sorry, Kamito-kun."

"...I believe in Kamito-senpai."

Akeno, Yuuto and Koneko all agree as they all give Kamito a positive look.

"W-Wait a minute! Me? An Instructor!? Th-That's impossible! It can't be done, I mean I..."

As an assassin, he has always been a solitary person. He has never even worked with anyone, let alone mentor anybody.

Then Issei, puts his new gauntlet on Kamito's shoulder and flashes him a thumbs-up.

"I'll be counting on you, sensei to show me the ropes!"

"Oh hell..."

**Part 10**

Later that evening, Rias and Akeno remained in the clubroom after everyone else went home.

Around this time, Akeno would drop the 'Buchou' title and simply call Rias 'Rias'.

"Ara ara, it seems Kamito-kun has brought a strange one into our group. As expected of him."

Akeno giggles for only a moment but stops upon hearing only silence in the room.

Rias didn't even chuckle even a little. She wore a grim, serious face as something weighed heavy on her mind.

"Rias….?"

"Kamito….He knew the fallen angel that attacked Issei, didn't he?"

"Yes, that seems to be the case…"

Akeno contemplates it for a moment.

Then a gasp escaped her lips as the realization hits,

"Do you think…the Fallen Angel is…."

"….Connected to the [Instructional School]?"

Rias finished and inquired.

"I'd rather not think of it but if it did then Kamito-"

"-Will remain who he is."

Akeno interrupted. There was a bit more force in her voice but her tone remains gentle.

"Even if the past is brought up again, Kamito-kun will not change. You can be sure of it. That boy will remain your precious servant until the end."

"Akeno…."

Rias was deeply touched by the words given by her best friend.

Akeno wears a heartfelt smile,

"You should believe in him more. You of all people should know that he will never go back to the person he once was. You've seen for yourself how much he's changed now."

"I see….You're right. Thank you, Akeno…."

Rias eases back into her chair, relaxing her shoulders just a bit.

Nostalgically, she reminisces,

"I…will always hate that accursed school and the people who ran it for making my Kamito suffer. If I could, I would hunt down the people who established it to ends of the Underworld."

Akeno smiles bitterly,

"I understand how you feel exactly, Rias. But do consider this: perhaps, if not for that school, you never would've met Kamito-kun."

Akeno's words filled Rias' heart with bittersweet feelings.

"I'm aware of that. That's why I'm so conflicted right now. Whether to curse that school or thank it. I'm not sure which of these two feelings I should express."

**Part 11**

Pure-blooded devils tend to look exactly like humans. However, Reincarnated Devils can come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

A common weakness for all Devils is that they cannot go near/get involved with anything that has to do with the Biblical God, as they can suffer nasty side effects such as headaches.

That also means they are vulnerable to holy objects such as crucifixes, holy water and the bible and can get killed by any weapons with divine properties.

They are also susceptible to light which significantly drains them of their energy once hit. That is precisely why they tend to become weak in the morning when the sun's out and the light rays are striking down on them and they become significantly stronger at night.

Also, intense light can severely wound, if not kill, a Devil.

In essence, light is poisonous to Devils. Devils with higher demonic power, however, can develop a certain degree of resistance to light.

Majority of the pure Devils were killed in the war that took place long time ago. Because of that, Devils started to desperately gather servants.

Devils don't have the strength or the influence they originally had when they leaded their armies.

Even so, they need to keep on increasing the number of the Devils.

Just like humans, the Devils split in genders of male and female and are able to give birth. But even with normal birth, it will take a lot of time to get back to the same population as before. Devils have a very low birth rate.

They won't be able to stand up against the Fallen Angels.

So Devils find humans who seem to have potentials and make them into Devils. As their servant, that is.

However, this only increases the number of servants; it doesn't increase the number of powerful Devils. So the Devils decided to give chances for power to reincarnated Devils— those who were reincarnated from a human. They decided to give peerage to reincarnated Devils as well, as long as they are powerful. Because of that, there are many Devils in humans' society. There are also numbers of Devils like Rias who came to humans' society as well.

There humans who can distinguish which ones are Devils and those who can't. A person with a strong greed or a person who wants to get help from Devils usually can distinguish them strongly.

"We devils are usually summoned by the ones who can distinguish between them, through the leaflet with magic-circle that we give out. There are people like you, Issei, who can distinguish Devils but don't believe in our existence, but majority of them usually believe it if they see our demonic-powers."

Kamito draws out a leaflet with a magic circle written on it.

"I'm assuming you recognize this?"

Issei hastily nods his head.

"Y-Yeah, I sometimes see them getting handed out on the streets."

"This magic circle is used to summon us Devils. These days there aren't many people who would draw this circle to summon us. So we give these leaflets to people who look like they would summon Devils. This magic-circle is safe and easy to use. Usually, we would have a familiar disguised as a human to hand them out. Our job as a Devil is that we get summoned, then make a contract, and grant their wish. The price is a reward fitting for the particular wish they make, whether its money, an object, or their life. Although, the last one normally doesn't occur very often. Once a wish is made, we usually get called by them again. That's the greed of human for you. Once the wish is granted, the leaflet gets used up, so we'd have to hand them out again. Issei, you'll start by handing these leaflets out on the town."

"H-Huh? Isn't that dangerous? I mean, won't I get attacked by a Fallen Angel while I'm out there?"

Kamito crosses his arms, and explains,

"You don't need to worry. At least, you're not supposed to. The academy we go to is Rias' territory. She's basically the controller of the school behind the scenes. That's how much authority she has. You could say it belongs to her."

"Territory?"

"Each Devil is given a certain territory in the human world, and they can only do their job within their territory. The town we live in is Rias' territory. If someone tried to trespass it, we'd normally try to deal with it. As long as we remain here, we should be safe. Our job as Devils is to hand out these leaflets and grant the wishes of the people within our territory by going to the houses marked on this monitor. "

Kamito takes out a device that looked like a portable game console with a monitor, buttons and a touch pen.

It's a secret machine developed using the Devils technology.

The monitors displayed a map of their town with light flashing on the monitor, showing the houses where people with lots of greed live.

"As long as there are lights flashing on this screen, our job isn't over. Normally, we go to these houses to fulfill their wishes. Sometimes, we even get personal requests from certain clients. We're only allowed to work at night because the day is for the Angels. That's just how it is."

Later that night, the two had a talk in the Hyoudou Residence.

Despite his reluctance, Kamito ends up giving an Issei a crash course lecture about being Devil in his own room. The wings that were on their back disappeared a while ago. Such a thing can become a hindrance in real life. The plus side is that having them enables a devil to play.

Issei, who sat with his legs crossed, nodded a few times.

Just to make sure he was listening, Kamito inquired,

"Alright, quick question. You see a busty nun about to head into the Church to change her clothes. What do you do?"

Issei answers without hesitation,

"Of course! I'd go in and take a peek!"

(This guy didn't learn a thing…!)

Kamito screams in his mind, wearing a deadpan expression.

"Listen, Issei. You can't do that. Anything like a church or anything related to it is harmful for us devils. It's enemy territory. Just stepping into it can cause a rift between us and them. The Angels will always be on the lookout. They'll kill you if you try to intrude, especially with motives like that."

"R-Right, sorry."

"Also, be especially careful for Exorcists. They could easily eliminate Devils because their powers are supported by the prayer of God and even more so if they have a Sacred Gear. You could avoid death as a human by being resurrected as a Devil. But Devils who are exorcised become completely terminated. They return to nothing. —Nothing. There is nothing left and you feel nothing. In fact, I'll tell you this now: if you see a fallen angel or an exorcist, just forget everything and run."

"A-Alright."

Issei nods his head, slightly scared.

Kamito thinks back to his words and said,

"I think that's it for now. Any questions?"

"Just one!"

Issei raised his hand up with enthusiasm. For him, that enthusiasm is usually not a good sign.

"…I'm gonna regret asking but, what is it?"

"The thing is, about a peerage. You said that we are members of Buchou's peerage, right?"

Kamito nods his head,

"Yeah, usually a person's birth and familt background plays a big role but there are times where Devils have risen up in society. Everyone starts off as a novice, that's why all you'll be doing is handing out leaflets."

"Yeah, yeah, I know all that but…what you're saying is…I can get a peerage myself one day, right?"

Kamito nods his head.

"Yeah, but it's gonna take a lot of time and hard work to do so. It's possible."

Issei's perverted guts began to show on his face. It was more stronger than even the ounce of demonic power inside him.

His nostrils flare up and he pants like a rabid dog.

"Th-Then, I-I should be able to make my own h-h-harem, right? I-I can have sex with them as well, right?!"

"Uhh…"

Kamito lightly scratches his cheek, troubled upon finding an answer.

Technically, it is possible to do whatever your want with your servants. In fact, there are even cases where devils had their own harems.

So Kamito answers half-heartedly.

"….I guess."

"Uoooooooooooooooooh!"

Issei shouts in his room.

Like thunder strikes his body.

Issei is filled with exhilaration.

Since it's impossible to have a harem in the world of humans, Issei saw it as just another dream.

Even if it is possible for humans, it was impossible for him, who never had a single girlfriend. Or at least one that didn't tried to kill him.

However things have changed,

"Being a Devil rocks! Hell yeah! I can't calm myself anymore!"

He was in high tension and his perverted guts were to his maximum.

He then proclaims to the entire world,

"I'm going to become a Harem-King!"

Kamito reaches for the glass of water sitting on the desk, takes a sip and calmly watches Issei screaming aloud with pure joy and ecstasy.

"…Was this really a good idea?"

He asks mostly to himself, and then Issei screams aloud,

"Kamito! I'm going to do it! I'm gonna have myself surrounded by girls as soon as I can! As you as my witness, I'll get my own peerage and become a Harem King!"

"Alright, good luck with that."

Kamito finishes, both his sentence and the cup of water in his hand.

"By the way, Kamito. You mentioned that you were a [Pawn], right?"

Kamito nods his head.

"Yeah, I'm worth 4 [Pawn]'s to be precise. You as well. Yuuto is a [Knight], Akeno-san is a [Queen] and Koneko is a [Rook]. You understand how these chess pieces work, don't you?"

"Well, more or less, but what I want to ask is….Why are you a [Pawn]?"

The question caught Kamito by surprise. Issei continued to say,

"Honestly, when I look at you, you seem more like a [Knight] like Kiba then a weak [Pawn] like me. So why are you a Pawn then?"

"Why? Well, are you familiar with the rules of Chess?"

"I-I think so…"

"Well Pawns have this special ability called 'Promotion'. A pawn can change into other classes when reaching the Opponent's base, anything except a King of course. If Rias acknowledges a place as an enemy base then we are able to promote to either a [Rook], [Knight], and [Queen]. When you consider the tactical potential, a [Pawn] has much more possibilities open for me to use….Also…."

Kamito's eyes flickered for a moment and he spoke with a quiet voice.

"Just being a [Pawn]…suits someone like me."


	3. Life 2

Alright guys, new chapter for you guys. Been liking the reception of this story so far. Honestly, it's not even a week and already, the number of views I'm getting are the most I've ever gotten. The reviews too so thanks.

I understand there's been a controversy about making Issei weaker so I guess I should explain myself.

My intention for that was because if I kept Issei as strong as he is in the novels, I worry that later on, the role of the main character between Kamito and Issei would become ambiguous. I've actually intended to have Issei be a bit more like the 'goofy best friend with the occasional serious moment' type. You know, the comic relief.

I still intend to develop Issei's strength as he goes on though but even so, my focus in this fic is Kamito; hence why this is a KamitoxHarem fic. It wasn't a necessarily easy decision for me to make but I just want to let you know about my intentions for this.

Anyways, back to this. I've been trying to get as much writing done as possible and hopefully, the first arc finish before some games start coming out (Lightning returns, danganronpa, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles etc) and I know for a fact that once those come out, my free time for writing will be cut by a lot so trying to get this done asap before that.

I estimate I should be done this arc in one or two chapters-ish.

Also to the Restia and Est fans out there, they'll be appearing near the end of the Raiser arc btw although that probably should've been obvious if you've read/watched High School DxD and understand where I'm coming from.

Anyways, enough blabbing from me.

Enjoy, read, and review. Or did I mix that up?

**Life 2: The Sister and The Devil**

**Part 1**

"Ara ara, I wonder what is all this?"

Akeno raises her head up to the sound of some of the girls in her class gossiping.

Normally, she doesn't pay attention to what was going on among the members of her classroom.

That is due to her duties as Vice-President of the Occult Research Club. Or to be more precise, her duty as Rias Gremory's [Queen].

Her popularity among male and female students also made it hard for other people to approach her so casually.

As such, she doesn't normally interact with the members of her classroom much, nor does she try to eavesdrop on the conversations of others.

Normally, she is fine with that.

However, she noticed that her classmates were being louder than usual.

"Hey, hey, guess what? I just saw that cute new transfer student from Class 2-B in the nurse's office."

"W-Wait, you mean, Kazehaya-kun!? The guy who was seen walking with Rias-oneesama the other day!?"

"I-I heard one look at those sharp eyes of his can make a woman go weak...!"

"S-Scary, I-I mean, yeah, if that guy tries to approach me by force, my heart will definitely start pounding."

"No, No, hear me out! This guy's totally harmless when he's sleeping. I came in there to get some medicine for my headaches and he was right there, resting in one of the beds. Take a look! I even snapped a picture of his sleeping face! Isn't he cute?"

The girl draws out her cell phone and shows off the picture to her two friends. All of them gushed with red faces as their hearts fluttered.

"Aw, he's so cute! It makes me want to cuddle him."

"D-Don't be fooled! It's a trap! It's definitely a trap to make women sleep with him!"

"S-Still, with a cute face like that, I-I wouldn't really mind taking a nap next to a face like that...!"

The girls kept gossiping and Akeno opened her eyes with interest.

(Ara? Is Kamito-kun not feeling well?)

Adjusting to this new environment must've been quite strenuous for him.

He also seems to have been quite winded when mentoring Issei about how to be a Devil.

Perhaps, he should not have been the one to act as his instructor after all.

Since Kamito was far from being a team player, let alone anyone's teacher and Issei was hardly the best student.

"Ara, that poor boy..."

Akeno woefully expresses to herself.

Akeno knew of Kamito's history, having known him for just as long as Rias.

And she can't help but worry about him when it seems he's pushing himself too hard.

That boy always had a bad habit of pushing himself too far without realizing it.

And it was that side that alerted Akeno's feminine instincts and ignited the desire to spoil him.

"Someone...should really make sure he's okay..."

The smile on Akeno's face suddenly became devious as she cunningly licks the tip of her fingers.

She had the eyes of a predator with sights set on her prey.

(I better make my move before Rias gets her chance.)

**Part 2**

"Ahh, my head hurts..."

Kamito groans with his arm over his eyes, resting his head firmly on a small pillow.

He went straight for the nurse's office after telling the teacher he wasn't feeling well.

Upon coming in, the first thing he did was fall straight onto the bed and rests his entire body on top of the firm mattress.

A lot of things were on his mind.

It's already been a few days since Issei became a devil.

And his progress has been non-existent.

_It was just the other day when Kamito heard the progress report from Rias. Being a Devil himself, he had his own jobs to carry out and clients he had to meet. So he couldn't watch Issei all the time._

_But upon finishing up his last job, he had a short meeting with Rias in the clubroom to learn how he pulled off his jobs._

_His first reaction was shock as he slams his hands onto the table,_

_"Huh? What do you mean the magic-circle didn't work? Did you give him the crest and everything?"_

_Normally, to get to a client's house, a magic circle is used to teleport devils to their destination. When you first become a devil, you learn how to control demon power, then use that power to create natural phenomenon by coordinating it through the magic circle._

_The magic-circle inside the room represents the "Gremory". For the servants of Rias Gremory, it's something like a family crest._

_For people trying to summon them and people trying to make a contract with them, the sign represents their symbols._

_Typically, how it is done that once the circle is written on a devil's palm, they instantly go to the client's place through the teleportation-type magic circle and once it is finished, the circle transports them back._

_But apparently, that didn't happen with Issei._

_"Wait...is his demonic power so low that he couldn't accomplish that?"_

_It was unbelievable. Transportation through magic circle is the easiest and first step to being a Devil._

_So that meant Issei had demonic power lower than a child._

_"He had to use his bike to transport to the client's house. With a Sacred Gear like Boosted Gear, I suppose it's only a given that his abilities are this low."_

_"Still, this is...unbelievable..."_

_Kamito stresses while letting his head hang low._

_Was that guy's only redeeming quality actually his Sacred Gear?_

_(That's too sad...)_

_"So, how did the clients react to him?"_

_"Surprisingly well actually. All the surveys had turned out quite positive. Take a look."_

_Rias passed him a stack of papers and Kamito gently takes it out of her hands._

_His eyes scanned through the sheets and quickly flipped through one-by-one._

_"...These are quite good. I'm assuming that he's made a contract with all of them, right?"_

_"He has yet to make one."_

_"You're kidding me...!"_

_It's been one shock after another and it felt like Kamito's brain was being peeled._

_A Devil without demonic power was essentially a baby._

_And a Devil with all these good responses but on contracts is just an idiot._

_(That guy fails as a Devil.)_

_"...What kind of clients was Issei entertaining anyways?"_

_"I have their basic profiles right here. Take a look."_

_Rias passes to him a small stack of folders for Kamito to see. He picks a few of them up and begins looking through them one by one._

_"Ler's see, Morisawa...He's Koneko's usual client, right?...It says he's an otaku...He likes Dragon-ball. No wonder Issei got along with him."_

_Kamito puts the folder down and opens up another one._

_"Alright, this one's...He calls himself Mil-tan and he's..."_

_A long moment of silence passed as Kamito blankly stares at the open folder with silent eyes._

_After about 30 seconds of standing there without twitching even an inch, Kamito simply closes the folder up and never opens it up again._

_"...I've seen enough..."_

_"This could become a big problem if Issei fails to show any significant progress. Has he made any progress in training his Sacred Gear?"_

_"Not especially. No..."_

_"Then Kamito, I'll leave it to you to make sure he learns how to use his Sacred Gear. The ability to boost one's power and transfer it to others could be useful if used correctly. Kamito, since you were the one who brought him in, it's your responsibility to ensure he stands on his own two feet."_

_"Y-Yeah..."_

"That's what I said but honestly, what am I supposed to do?"

Kamito has only read about the Boosted Gear. He's never seen it or used it himself so he can't exactly tell Issei how to use it.

Should he compare it to his own?

Unfortunately, the one Kamito has is more of an offensive type than a support type so it'll be impossible to compare the two.

There is the option of giving Issei combat training to improve his currently-lacking abilities.

The physical training could also serve to increase Issei's reserves of demonic power too.

"I just...don't know."

Kamito sighs to himself.

"Ara, what is it that you don't know of?"

A sultry voice breathes into his left ear.

Kamito, who was lying in bed, slowly twists his neck towards the left.

"A-A-Akeno-san!?"

Kamito's mouth was left wide open.

"Ufufufu, they were right. You really do look cute when you're sleeping."

Akeno was smiling like always; gazing admiringly at Kamito's sleeping profile.

However, he was wide awake and she was lying right next to him while resting her face on her hand and gazing intently at his face.

The proximities of their bodies were so close that he could feel her breasts rubbing against his elbow. The soft, firm sensation enveloping his arm caused his face to turn red.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing!?"

"I heard that poor Kamito-kun was resting in the nurse's office so I came over to take care of you. Now c'mon, take off your shirt. Onee-sama has a technique that'll instantly revitalize you."

Akeno's white finger playfully draws on Kamito's chest, her fingernails poked the buttons of his shirt as if trying to tear them off.

"Y-You, what do you plan on doing!?"

"Well, since you asked…"

Akeno leans forward to his ear, cupping her hand over as she subtly whispers a few words.

Whatever she said caused Kamito's eyes to go wide.

"W-W-W-What!? You're not serious…! In a place like this…! What if someone sees us?!"

"Ah, but that doesn't that make it a little…exciting?"

Akeno tenderly licks the tip of her fingers; her eyes had a lustful gaze.

Like a cornered rabbit, Kamito shivers,

(S-S-S-S! Her S-personality is leaking out!)

Akeno quickly acts before he could move. Shuffling her body through the body, she quickly lands on Kamito's waist, riding it like a horse.

Keeping her long legs firmly pressed in on his hips, Kamito can feel the soft, hugging sensation of Akeno's warm thighs rubbing against him.

Kamito tried to resist but Akeno kept him firmly pinned by holding down his arms.

"A-A-Akeno-san!? What are you-?"

"I heard that you fought a scary Fallen Angel the other day. Hey, Kamito-kun. Did that Fallen Angel…bring up any bad memories?"

"….."

Kamito remained silent and Akeno wore a sad face in response.

He's always been a composed person. That composure only ever broke whenever his past was mentioned.

Her slight frown soon curved into a slight smile as she whispers seductively,

"Don't worry, Akeno will take good care of you."

Kamito's silence broke as he let out a weak "Huh…?"

"Your Onee-sama will do her very best to comfort you…Or is that no good?"

Akeno pouts her lips and wore a pleading look on her face.

The cute voice she spoke with numbed Kamito's senses.

Gulping back a huge amount of saliva, Kamito grimaced,

(Th-That's cheating…!)

Not a man alive could refuse a woman like her.

Kamito tries to move, but there was something off about his lack of movement.

(D-Did she paralyze my nerves?!)

Akeno was always a master at utilizing magic. Lightning is her specialty. Just a small surge from her fingertips could strike the nerves and paralyze a person's movements without realizing it,

(When did she…?)

Then he recalled when Akeno traced her finger on his chest,

(That time!?)

"Hey, Akeno-san! That's not fai-!"

Kamito was suddenly hushed as Akeno pressed her finger on his lips.

"Shh…"

She lightly whispers out seductively.

"You don't have to do a thing. Onee-sama will take care of everything…"

Akeno leans forward, her pleading face slowly closed in and her firm breasts swayed with the subtle movement.

Kamito tried to move but the best he could muster was a weak vibration through his entire body.

Akeno can feel it on her thighs and hips.

"Ahhn~ Th-That feels kinda good! Ka-Kamito-kun, do that some more~"

Akeno moans as her face starts to heat up. Hot breaths came from her lips.

(Wh-What are you doing!? Don't enjoy it!)

Kamito screams in his mind but he's afraid of shouting it out in case someone in the halls may hear.

His body still wouldn't react to his mind as he struggled to clench his hands.

And yet, he could still every little sensation of Akeno's light, soft body rubbing against him.

"Hey, Kamito-kun…"

She suddenly calls to him, her rosy lips curving into a weird shape.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Would you like to have an affair with me?"

Kamito's mind had essentially been wiped blank with those words.

Having fallen speechless, he had no way of answering that question.

Akeno's face approached his and she poked her lips out slightly.

"Just like Rias, I want to spoil my cute junior as well. Don't worry, I'll keep this a secret from Rias."

Just as there was only a 5 centimeter gap between their lips,

"….Keep what a secret from me?"

Speaking with force in her voice, Rias stands at the door with an overflowing amount of demonic power coming out from her shoulders.

Her long flowing crimson hair was fluttering from the overflowing aura.

All feeling returned to Kamito's body, in the form of terror.

"Bu-Bu-Bu-Bu-Buchou!"

Kamito's senses were intact enough to remember calling her 'Buchou' at school.

However, the same won't be said for the same as his body in the next few seconds.

"Ara ara, scary. Rias-Buchou, what are you doing here?"

"I was gonna ask you that, Akeno. Once I heard that my Kamito has been resting in the nurse's office, I had to rush here from my class as fast as I could. And what do I find?"

Rias gazes hard at the scene on top of the bed.

Kamito was lying down with Akeno straddled on top of him.

The top button of Kamito's collar was also torn open, leaving his neck exposed.

The sight of Akeno sitting on Kamito's waist caused her brow to twitch irritably.

"Now, explain yourselves…"

This wasn't a request. It was a demand.

The aura around her was giving off a dangerous killing intent.

Before Kamito could explain, Akeno answers ahead of him,

"It's simple. I came to take care of my cute junior. You can go now. You're not needed here."

"Not…needed…!?"

Something inside Rias snapped. The crimson aura suddenly was tainted black demonically.

Akeno was smiling but it was clear that her eyes were clashing sparks against Rias' glare.

Aware of the direction this was going, Kamito cries out in vain.

"W-Wait, Buch-I mean, Rias, calm down! Don't use your demonic power here at school! Also, this is the nurses' office so you shouldn-!"

His cries were drown out by destructive noises as the once-peaceful nurse's office became a battleground for two women.

**Part 3**

"Ahh, that was scary. I saw my whole life flashing before my eyes…"

Kamito groans to himself with smoke coming off from his entire body and his uniform charred with black spots.

He strolls through the first floor where all the first-years usually frequent to attend classes.

It was lunch time and the man needed food inside him to make him forget about the horrible events earlier.

The fight between Akeno and Rias continued until they blew up the entire office.

Thankfully, the only people there were Kamito, Akeno and Rias so there were no serious casualties.

As to how this was explained to the school's staff, Rias states that it was a result of an explosion triggered by a violent chemical reaction caused by some of the medicines badly reacting to each other when spilt.

To further cement her story, she even went on with a huge lecture about the chemicals in medicines and the chain reactions that could be caused that even the Science Teacher's couldn't understand what she was saying.

In short, they believed it and everyone went on with their routine while trying to clean up the mess caused.

Rias will most likely pay for the damages, since she's the one who caused them.

"Still, that's too careless…If anyone was there; we'd be in a lot of trouble."

Whether they were seen or not was negligible.

Altering people's memories to maintain their secrecy as devils is easy.

However, that wasn't Kamito's main concern.

Kamito and the others only survived due to their abilities as devils. However, if a normal human walked by at the time, they would seriously get hurt.

"They should know that already…"

Kamito murmured to himself.

He did not understand what could've made them lose sight of that.

A woman's heart was a troublesome thing to understand.

Then again, Kamito was once an assassin who never experienced a drop of emotion for almost his entire childhood.

Perhaps he was the one who needed a fix.

While thinking all this, he sees Koneko standing right before him with the usual blank expression. With her petite body, it is often difficult to spot her unless she was standing right in front of you.

"Oh, Koneko? What's the matter?"

Koneko merely stares at him with silence for a moment. Due to her never-changing expression, it is often difficult to tell what this girl is thinking.

Then Koneko spoke,

"…..Kamito-senpai, you were supposed to watch over Issei-senpai, right?"

"Yeah, that's right…."

"…Then, please do something about him."

Koneko abruptly tosses a mass of swollen red meat that she had kept behind her for a while.

However, this mass of meat had features of a human being including the shape, eyes, mouth, hair and a Kuoh Academy boy's uniform.

Rather, wasn't this just a human being beaten to a bloody pulp?

"Oh god, it's Issei!"

It took Kamito about 10 seconds to finally recognize him. He was no longer than a human being he once recognized. He reminded him of a bag full of meat, bones and water.

His face was full of so many red bulging swells; it looked like an allergic reaction.

"Ah….K-Kamito…It's… you, huh?"

Speaking with swollen, red lips, Issei's voice sounded hoarse and wheezing, like he had just been punched in the throat.

He would look at his friend but the swollen lumps on his eye lids were so large, they were completely shut.

The very sight of him was as horrifying as some kind of flesh monster.

Issei looked like he was beaten to an inch of his life.

"What in the hell happened to you?"

Kamito inquires.

Issei gave no straight answer. Instead, he used every last ounce of strength he could muster into raising his thumb towards Kamito, swollen mouth barely forming a crooked smile.

'I have no regrets', his face seems to be telling him.

"Wait, what? What does that even mean?"

Kamito was left even more confused than ever to which Koneko explains,

"...Issei-senpai and his friends were caught hiding in a locker in the girl's changeroom...They had to be punished."

Kamito didn't say anything after that. Rather, he understood the situation completely.

Scratching his head, Kamito's thoughts stood between the lines of 'I guess he deserved it' and 'This may have been a little overboard'.

Despite her looks, Koneko is the type of girl that cares for her comrades.

So after seeing what she had done to Issei, Kamito was terrified to think the kind of mashed-up meat bags that Motohama and Matsuda must've been reduced to when Koneko was done with them.

"...Kamito-senpai, I respect your decision to bring Issei-senpai into our group...So please take responsibility for him."

Koneko lightly bows her head, leaving Kamito to wonder what exactly she's implying.

He honestly had no idea.

(So basically, she wants me to reimburse her for what Issei did to her?)

That was Kamito's guess.

"Alright then. How about I treat you to lunch to make up for it? You can have anything you want."

"...Anything?"

Her tone was about the same but somehow, Kamito can sense a subtle hint of joy coming from her voice.

Her expression didn't change but her eyes seem to be gleaming slightly.

"Sure, I'll treat you to anything you wan-Aaahh!"

Halfway in his sentence, Kamito was being pulled by the wrist by Koneko as she drags him through the hallways.

Despite her small body, she had strength so incredible that Kamito couldn't even budge from her grip. In fact, if he weren't a demon, it was without certain that she might've broken his wrist with her unusually tight grasp.

As expected of a Rook, she lives up to her incredible strength.

However, wasn't she pulling on Kamito's sleeve harder than usual?

"Ah, Koneko?"

"...Let's hurry, Senpai. If we don't hurry, they'll all be sold out."

"Ah, really?...Wait, how much do you plan on buying?"

"...six yakisoba breads..."

"Hey, please show some consideration for my wallet!"

"...Kamito-senpai said I can have anything. Therefore, I will have six yakisoba breads."

"I-I did say that."

Against Koneko's solid logic, Kamito was forced to admit defeat.

Once he finally quiets down, he notices all the quiet whispers coming from all the juniors around him.

"Look, look, it's Kazehaya-senpai."

"The one who is always standing next to Rias-oneesama!?"

"He-He looks kinda cool from up close."

"D-Don't let your guard down...! This guy's an absolute fiend who's trying to build a harem of all the amazing girls at this school!"

"Apparently, he already ensnared Rias-oneesama and Akeno-oneesama!"

"He's after Koneko-chan too!?"

"Licentious beast!"

"D-Don't look at him! You'll become one of his women!"

"Ah that damned Kazehaya...!"

"Hogging all the idols and girls for yourself!"

"That's breaking the bro code!"

"Save some girls for us, you bastard!"

It was clear as to which whispers came from boys and which came from girls.

**Part 4**

"...Delicious..."

"I see. Glad you like it."

Kamito sighs at the sensation of his wallet having suddenly become lighter. Each yakisoba bread was worth 450 yen. Multiply that by six and add a bottle of milk on top of that and it adds up to almost 3000 yen.

For Kamito, who makes a meager living off the rewards he gets from his Devil jobs, that was a lot of money.

Of course if he simply asked, Rias or Issei's parents would gladly give him additional money. However, Kamito didn't want to take advantage of their kindness more than he already has so he pays for it with his own pocket.

And now he is essentially broke.

He is thankful that [Instructional School] assassins were trained to go weeks fighting without food.

After buying their breads, Kamito and Koneko took their lunches outside.

Nestling up under an old oak tree on a hillside right behind the school's main building, Kamito rests his back against the old bark while Koneko quietly nibbles away at her breads.

Kamito's lunch consisted of only a plain roll and some coffee milk.

Koneko stops nibbling on her bread for a moment to look at the bread in Kamito's hands,

"...Kamito-senpai, is that your lunch?"

"Huh? Ah. yeah. I need to start saving money so this is all I'll be eating."

"...I see. I'm sorry, Senpai."

Koneko lowers her head with a guilty expression.

Kamito pats her head lightly and tells her,

"It's fine. I said I was gonna buy you anything so I meant it. Besides, so long as I have some food in my belly, I'll be fine."

That is the truth.

Although his time as Rias' servant allowed him to develop a taste for food, it was hard to shake away some old habits.

During his time at the [Instructional School] and while working as an assassin, Kamito often had to eat foods like plain rolls as simply a means to acquire energy to carry out assassinations.

So Kamito never really paid much attention to it, never tasting the food he eats and simply using it as a means to fuel his body and obtain his nutrients.

So he didn't mind eating his rather simple lunch.

"….Here…"

While working through her third bun, Koneko presents it to Kamito, already half-eaten.

Kamito snaps out of his thoughts and spares a glance at the half-eaten bread, dumbfounded.

"H-Huh?"

"…Here, have some."

"Uh well…."

"…What's the matter?"

"…It's just…doesn't this count as an indirect kiss?"

"….Probably."

"…And you're not bothered by that?"

"…Not really."

"…Why?"

"….Because it's Kamito-senpai…"

"I-Is that so…?"

Giving a wry smile, Kamito scratches his cheek in confusion. Due to her monotone voice and expression, he can't read what this girl was thinking at the moment. Now that he thought about it, Koneko is never usually the type to share food.

So he asks,

"Umm, so why are you sharing your bread with me, if it's okay to ask?"

"….Because I want you to try it."

"….Huh?"

"…Because I want you to try it."

Koneko was staring hard at Kamito.

She then pushes the bread closer to his mouth.

While her tone remained the same, there was a strange impact to them that ran through Kamito's conscience.

"…A-Alright, I'll try it."

Her hard stare forced him to conceive and Kamito takes a single bite from the offered bread.

He silently eats up the mixture of fried noodles and bread and swallows it down its throat smoothly.

"…How is it?"

"…It's pretty good."

As Kamito wipes off the sauce from the corner of his mouth, Koneko's mouth forms a small smile on her face.

"…That's good."

The two continued eating lunch silently at their leisurely place, enjoying the crisp fresh air and the occasionally breeze that would sweep through their bodies.

**Part 5**

"Geez, that Koneko-chan…Why did she have to hit me so hard…?"

Issei grumbles to himself while picking his face up from the seat cushion while trying to heal his battered body. The freshly wrapped bandages were starting to give him an irritable itch.

Although his new Devil's body is much more durable, except when facing intense light, he still perceives pain normally like he always did.

And after Koneko's beating, he was hurting a lot. Even the act of breathing caused him pain.

Since the infirmary was apparently destroyed by a chemical explosion, Issei had no choice but to recuperate in the Occult Research Clubroom.

Now personally, Issei loved coming here more than he loved going home with a new porno DVD in his hand.

That was because Rias Gremory, Himejima Akeno, and Toujou Koneko can usually be found in this place.

However…

"You can't say that you didn't ask for it, though."

Yuuto flashed a handsome smile in response to Issei's groan.

Right now, he was the only one in the room. The handsome prince of Kuoh Academy and Issei hated it.

"Shut up, Kiba! How was I supposed to know Koneko-chan was going to be there too!?...Or that she was so crazy strong."

"I'm sure you've learned that Koneko-chan is a Rook, and Rooks tend to be known for their incredible strength."

"But punching through a locker isn't normal!"

Issei screams but not before grimacing with the pain that came from overexertion.

(Shit….! Why is Kiba the only one here!? I came here hoping to get nursed by Buchou or Akeno-san and I get that Casanova instead!)

He had the most awkward and uncomfortable time when Yuuto administered first aid for Issei, telling him things like 'Take off your clothes' while Yuuto entangles his body with Issei, stepping in close with him to patch up his wounds.

This was only because Yuuto did not know any form of healing magic, whatsoever.

Issei would rather not go into the details. Actually, he wanted to forget the event entirely.

Surely, if anyone had walked in on that experience, they would definitely come to the conclusion that those two were gay for each other, take snapshots with their phone and send it to all her friends.

To Issei, who dreams of having a harem, getting nursed by a dude is like a horrible nightmare for him.

Issei's face that was once trembling with rage suddenly shift to a blissful, if not perverted, expression.

"Ahh, if only Buchou and Akeno-san were here, I'd get the best treatment!"

"True, they might know some good healing spells that could heal you right up."

"Idiot, I'm not talking about that!"

After snapping at Kiba, Issei wore a lustful face as his mind began to fantasize.

"Buchou and Akeno-san! In a tight nurse's outfit to hug their oppai and stockings around their soft thighs! Giving me service hand and foot all day and night! Pressing their big, soft oppais against me while wrapping my bandages! Giving me nice oppai massages on my aching back! Guehehehe! Big boob nurses are the best!"

Issei drools as his mind fills with perverted fantasies that were inspired from a DVD he watched the other night about nurses.

Erotic scenarios filled his horny mind and a trail of blood seeps out from his nose due to excitement.

Yuuto, who was watching Issei this entire time, laughs sheepishly, with an awkward smile on his face.

"Well, I suppose it's too bad that Buchou and Akeno-san have to deal with repairing the nurse's office that was just destroyed this morning."

"Shut up, Kiba! Don't ruin my fantasy! I need this to keep me from getting depressed!"

Issei starts to sob out loud, despite being in high school already and essentially a young adult.

"Shiiiit, why is only Kiba here!? The only reason I came here was for the girls! I don't need guys!"

Kiba laughs,

"Kamito-senpai sure has picked an interesting one to join our group."

Issei's tears came to a sudden stop and looks over at Kiba with a puzzled expression.

"Huh? Senpai? I didn't know Kamito was older than you, Kiba. Wait, that makes him older than me, right?"

Smiling coyly, Yuuto waves his hands before him while explaining,

"Oh, no, no, I don't mind 'Senpai' here at school. I meant 'Senpai' in swordsmanship. We used to spar together all the time."

"Oh, right. It always seemed had known Kamito had known everyone for a while. But wait, wouldn't technically you be the 'Senpai' instead of Kamito?"

Yuuto looked clueless.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're a [Knight] aren't you? Wouldn't that make you a better swordsman than a [Pawn] like Kamito?"

Yuuto lets out a chuckle, placing his hand on his face. He wasn't laughing at Issei so much as he was laughing to himself in amusement.

"W-What's so funny? You damn handsome bastard..."

Issei grumbles as his eyes veered off to the side. Yuuto makes apologetic hand gestures and says,

"Oh, it's nothing, it's just people tend to underestimate Kamito-senpai sometimes because he's a [Pawn]. It makes sense to think that, I suppose. But the truth of the matter is..."

Yuuto shows a fresh smile towards Issei, as well as handing him some alarming words.

"I, never once beaten Kamito-senpai in a sword duel yet."

"...Eh?"

Issei shows absolute shock. His jaw was left open for a while and simply gaped at Yuuto. He didn't look like he believed him.

That's because he couldn't believe it.

(Kamito is better than Kiba? How?)

"It's true."

Yuuto insisted,

"We've dueled about 48 times and I've never beaten him once yet. As far as pure swordsmanship goes, he's much more skilled than I am. I could never keep up with him. That's why I call him 'Senpai' sometimes out of respect for his skills."

"N-No way...!"

Issei thought it was a lie. All this time, he thought Kamito was a fellow [Pawn] just like him. That they were at the same level.

So to find out that he was even better than Yuuto; naturally, Issei was in shock.

Yuuto tries to explain it to the frozen Issei.

"Well, typically in chess, [Pawn]'s are usually the weakest piece. But it's not like a [Pawn] **cannot **take down a Bishop, Knight, Rook, Queen or even the King, right?"

"I-I guess but even so I...I thought we were at the same level. I even thought of him as a rival that I wanted to surpass."

Issei admitted to Yuuto, although it wasn't something that he could easily say out loud.

Indeed, once Issei became a devil, he swore to himself to make Kamito his rival. It was a goal he had only second to his desire to become a Harem King, to one day surpass his Devil Mentor.

Yuuto sinks his shoulders while smiling wryly at Issei,

"I think you're setting the bar too high for yourself. I heard Buchou mention one time that Kamito-senpai is potentially even more powerful than even Akeno-san."

"E-E-E-Even Akeno-san!?"

It was like a bolt of lightning struck through Issei's body.

He can slowly accept Kamito being stronger than Yuuto. However, he can't believe Kamito could actually be stronger than Akeno.

As Kamito once explained, the [Queen] is a piece that possesses all the traits of a Knight, Rook, and Bishop. In short, it is the most powerful piece, second only to the King itself. Individuals designated as the [Queen] are typically the right-hand man/woman for the respective King and are often to be one of the most powerful members of the peerage.

In other words, Akeno should be the most powerful person in their group, second to only Rias herself.

But apparently, Yuuto's words prove otherwise.

"Well, it's only something that I've heard from Buchou. I don't know much of the details myself. Buchou also mentioned that when Kamito-senpai joined, he sealed away half of his power when reincarnating into a Devil. As such, the current Kamito-senpai is only just as strong as I am. That's why Buchou made him travel Europe to train, to compensate for the power that he lost."

Half as strong but still superior to Yuuto. Issei is amazed but also quite shocked.

"S-Sealed his own power away!? Wh-Why would he do such a thing!?"

To Issei, it made no sense. Wasn't the goal as a member of the Gremory Group was to get stronger? Then why did Kamito seal his own power away.

It doesn't make any sense.

Yuuto shrugs his shoulders and answers,

"I don't know the answer myself. My guess is was so that it would be possible to reincarnate him with only 4 pawns, as opposed to 8. But I think the real reason is a lot more...personal."

Issei tilts his head slightly, cocking one of his brows.

"Personal? What do you mean?"

Yuuto simply smiles, crossing his arms while leaning his back against the wall.

"Like I said, I don't really know. Kamito-senpai is a good person to tell your past to but he never talks about his own past. The only people who know about it is Buchou and Akeno-san. They'd probably tell us if we press them but we really shouldn't pry into it, until he's ready to talk about it himself."

"I-I suppose you're right."

Issei meekly nods his head.

(To think that my mentor and rival is something so incredible)

Stronger than Yuuto. Even stronger than Akeno.

Issei would have a hard time accepting it, but perhaps it was because he had yet to see his full power with his own two eyes.

Even so, he can't deny that there is something very powerful living inside Kamito.

And something terrifying.

But rather get dishearten by it, Issei only felt more fired up now.

Because he's so strong, Issei wants to surpass him.

Issei only felt excitement at the prospect of having such a powerful rival.

And a fellow [Pawn] no less. If he could reach such heights in power, why can't he?

And so, Issei makes the vow in his heart once more with the sun itself as his witness.

"One day, Kamito. I will surpass you!"

He clenches his right hand into a fist as he declares it.

It seems that every time he learns something new about Kamito, he'd be overwhelm with shock.

(Come to think of it, I don't know much about him to begin with, do I?)

And so Issei begins to wonder,

Who exactly is Kazehaya Kamito?

**Part 6**

_"If you're so willing to throw away your life then I shall take it from you. As of today, your life is mine. You belong to me. You will not die until I've given you permission to. Do you understand, Kamito?"_

He understood those words perfectly.

On that day, 7 years ago, at the tender age of 10 was when Kazehaya Kamito's life reached a turning point.

No, that wasn't right.

It was the day where Kamito's life began.

If he could compare the person he was before and after meeting Rias Gremory, it would be like looking at two different people.

The person he is now was currently walking through the streets with a bag of groceries in his hand.

It was after school and rather than attend the Occult Research Club like always, Kamito had more pressing matters to deal with.

Namely, grocery shopping.

Ever since crashing at the Hyoudou Residence, the food in the fridge had been depleting at a fast rate.

That was because Issei's mother kept cooking large amounts of food as a way of spoiling Kamito as a new member of the Hyoudou household as well as all the house chores he's done for them up until this point.

It seems it was his reward for being as they put it 'a positive influence on their son', although he didn't really do anything.

And because of that, the household ingredients were running out at an alarming rate.

So Kamito decided to take on the grocery shopping after school, after earning some money from Issei's mother to buy them.

He didn't mind chores such as this. When he first became Rias' pawn, he often had to do house chores around the Gremory House as her servant.

Compared to that massive place, a two-story house was easy to take care of.

While whistling a tune, Kamito carries the bag of groceries in his right hand.

"Ohh, I hope Fallen Angels don't attack me until I get these back home."

He lightly murmurs to himself.

Later, he would have to go back to the school to attend their club activities at night. In other words, more jobs as a Devil.

It's been a while since he did contracted jobs.

So far, his jobs consisted of odd tasks, like cleaning up a room, covering for someone's graveyard shift at work, or simply watching kids while the parents go out for the night.

He felt like a freeter making a meager living by going from job to job, but it was a life he didn't mind having.

Compared to his days as a contracted assassin, this was much more relaxing.

(Rather, I think Issei's the one who has it tough...)

He had read about the jobs he gets from Rias. And frankly, even he, who once could spill the blood of others without blinking an eye, wouldn't even dare go near them.

While thinking these useless thoughts...

"Hawaaau!"

A sudden voice snaps Kamito out of his thoughts.

It came from behind, followed by the sound of something dropping on the ground.

Kamito turns around, glancing over his shoulder.

There seems to be religious Church Sister lying on the floor.

She is spreading her arms wide open and has her face on the ground.

That is certainly a clumsy way of falling down.

Leaning forward, Kamito peers over the fallen Sister.

"Umm, are you okay?"

Kamito asks while offering his hand so she can stand up.

"Auu. Why do I keep on tripping over...Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you very much~"

She spoke with a cute, innocent voice. She sounded very young.

Kamito takes her hand and lifts her up from the ground.

A strong wind blows through the area.

The Sister's veil flies off, causing Kamito's eyes to grow wide.

Her blonde hair, which is hidden underneath, falls down onto her shoulder. Her straight blonde hair is sparkling with light due to the sunshine.

Kamito's eyes move towards her face.

There he saw a face that could steal the heart of any man that looked.

She had such a beautiful face and a pair of large green eyes filled with pure innocence.

It was the kind of face that you would want to spoil just to see a smile.

It was captivating and mesmerizing.

The Sister tilts her head to the side cutely,

"U-Umm...is something wrong...?"

The sister looks directly at Kamito's face with concern.

Kamito merely shakes his head and calmly says,

"No, it's nothing. I was just thinking that you were quite cute when I saw your face."

"Ah, Umm, th-thank you..."

The sister smiles bashfully, her face was pure red all the way up to her eyes.

She had such a cute face as she directs her eyes towards the ground shyly.

She looked like an innocent, pure maiden who wouldn't even have the smallest of impure thoughts living in her mind.

This gives Kamito an idea.

"But, you can be quite bold it seems too. I'm guessing what those were earlier were your battle panties, then?"

"E-Eh?"

The girl raises her head up, eyes spread wide as she starts blushing for a different reason.

Kamito smiles wryly at the Sister.

"I mean, I can understand that you want to be a little grown up. But black's a little vulgar, don't you think?"

"Wh-Wh-What are you talking about?! I-In the first place, m-m-m-m-my panties are w-w-w-w-white!"

The girl screams while squeezing her eyes shut. It was fortunate that no one was here to see that.

Kamito raises a brow,

"Oh? So they were white then? Thanks for telling me."

Kamito had been teasing the girl the whole time.

"Hauuu..."

The sister's cheeks start to give out a pouty look. That misty expression made it look like she's about to cry.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. It's been a while since I could do that."

Having been surrounded by not-so-innocent girls all the time, having a pure-hearted maiden to tease definitely made Kamito's day.

It reminded him of those earlier days when Rias was still a child. Back then, teasing her had funny reactions that he always enjoyed.

Now as Rias grew up, it became impossible for him to invoke those reactions again.

"Thank you, Sister. It's been a while since I've been able to do that. I'll stop now. Sorry about that."

The Sister wore a confused expression after hearing Kamito's ambiguous words.

"Umm...It's okay...?"

She wasn't sure if she should've accepted Kamito's rather half-hearted apology.

Kamito thought it was fascinating how someone like her could be walking around town.

It's a rare occasion to see a nun in town. The sight of her was definitely a little puzzling.

Kamito looks around. The Sister had a travelling bag over her shoulder and her veil seems to have dropped nearby.

"Here, let me make it up to you..."

Kamito runs over to pick up the veil. Patting down the dust and dirt it gathered from the floor, Kamito runs back over and passes the veil back to the Sister.

Out of curiosity, he asks,

"Are you travelling right now?"

"No, that's not it. I was appointed to the Church in this town… You must be a resident of this town. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She bows her head.

Despite the polite gesture, Kamito's eyes narrowed shrewdly in response to her words.

(Appointed to the Church? In this town? Why now, of all times?)

He asks himself, aware of the fact that there were Fallen Angels lingering around. Also, since this is the Gremory territory, it isn't common for religious holy characters to just waltz in for any reason.

So this Sister shouldn't be here unless there was a good reason behind it.

While Kamito was thinking to himself, the girl kept talking, snapping him out of his thoughts,

"Umm...I have been in trouble since I got here. Umm...I can't speak Japanese that well...I was lost and other people couldn't understand what I was saying..."

She holds her hands together in front of her chest with a sad expression.

So it seems this girl can't speak Japanese.

However, Kamito can hear her speak as if she was fluent in the language. This was due to the power of the Devils.

"Language" - unique ability that Devils automatically attain. In the Devil's ears, everyone in the world can understand that they are saying. People listening will then be heard in the language the Devil is most familiar with.

If they are American, then they will hear it in English. If they are Spanish, then they will hear it in Spanish. And also the opposite. If they speak in a language besides Japanese, they will hear it in Japanese.

In short, Devils are essentially the automatic international students well versed in all languages.

The blonde sister might actually be speaking in English right now but Kamito is hearing it in Japanese. Conversely, he is speaking Japanese but the girl might be hearing English instead.

"You said you were looking for the Church, right?"

Kamito pinches his chin as he says that.

"I might be able to lead you to where it is."

There's an old Church in the outer part of town. That was the only Church that came to mind.

(...Wait, that Church should've been abandoned, right? Why is this girl appointed to a place like that?)

He was unable to think it through any further upon hearing the girl's voice filled with heartfelt joy.

"Y-You do! T-Thank you~! This is all thanks to God!"

She smiles at Kamito with tears flowing from her eyes. The irony of it all was that she was thanking a Devil.

The direction of Kamito's eyes narrows at the Rosario on her chest and Kamito starts to get a strange reaction from it.

Because he's a Devil, rosario's were dangerous items to be around and she is technically a person he shouldn't get involved with.

Even though his body structure is unique, even among Devils, which grants him a subtle resistance to light, he felt discomfort upon seeing that Rosario nonetheless.

However, Kamito didn't have the heart to just abandon her.

So he took her to the Church in town.

On the way to the Church, they went past a park.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

He can hear a boy crying out.

"Are you alright Yosh-kun?"

The boy who had tripped over to the ground was approached by his mother.

Then, after only giving a quick glance, the Sister who was tailing behind Kamito ran into the park.

"Excuse me!"

She went inside, towards the boy who sat on the ground while crying.

There was a scrape on his knee with red scratches all over it. For someone as small as this child, it was only natural to cry despite the small wound.

Kamito follows after the Sister, who bends down at a level height with the boy.

"Are you okay? Boys shouldn't cry with a minor injury like this."

Sister pats the boy's head gently.

The boy looked confused, likely because he couldn't understand what she is saying.

However, the girl had a very kind, gentle expression.

The Sister put her palm over where the boy was injured.

The next moment, Kamito's eyes become wide.

A green light orb appears from the Sister's palm and is flashing onto the boy's knee.

Looking carefully, the boy's injury starts to disappear.

It's as if the light was healing the boy's injury.

(That's….)

Kamito recognized this phenomenon in an instant.

(…A Sacred Gear!?)

Once he thought that, the seals engraved on his hands begin to throb painfully and shine out from his black gloves.

Kamito clutches his hands in an attempt to hide both seals.

It seems his Sacred Gear is resonating with the Sister's.

This sensation is often common between Sacred Gear Users.

However, the girl seems oblivious to the reaction.

The boy's injury is already gone; not a trace of it remained.

(Amazing…)

Kamito had never seen it before. A Sacred Gear with the ability to heal.

The boy's mother is in shock. Anyone who sees unimaginable things will have a similar reaction.

"Here, your wounds are healed. The pain should be gone now."

The Sister pats the boy's head and looks back at Kamito.

"I'm sorry. But I had to."

She laughs while sticking her tongue out.

Kamito simply shakes his head.

"No, it's fine…"

Despite those words, there was pity in his eyes.

The boy's mother, who was shocked before, shook her head then grabs the boy's hand so they can leave quickly.

The eyes the mother showed to the young girl wasn't a thankful one.

Her eyes were wary and cold as they looked at the girl.

Such distant faces, the Sister seems to be used to it.

Being looked at like some kind of monster.

"Thank you, Onee-chan!"

The boy's words. Words of gratitude.

"He said, thank you Onee-chan."

Kamito translate it for the girl, bringing a smile to her face.

"…That power…."

"Yes, it's the power to heal. It's a wonderful power that God gave me."

She looks a bit sad, even though she's smiling.

Kamito didn't say anything to her, because he understands that girl's feelings.

He understands more than anyone, the kind of pain Sacred Gear users are cursed with.

Rather than show gratitude, there was a fear lingering in the mother's eyes, born from what she saw.

Such a reaction was understandable. What couldn't be explained and what couldn't be understood by normal people were the power of these sacred objects.

As such, they were seen as no better than monsters with unexplainable powers.

So he says nothing about it.

Just as he has a dark past that he'd rather forget, the same was true for her.

No good would come from bringing it up.

So he keeps silent about it.

To others, the Sacred Gear's power may seem like a gift, but when it is obtain, you realize just how much of a curse it really is.

It's an unusual power, and a lot of people suffer because of it.

No happiness came from the power they were given.

Kamito knew that better than anyone.

"We should get going."

His last words before the conversation ended.

They continued for the old Church, reaching it after walking a few minutes.

Kamito shrewdly glares at the Church.

He didn't know the place was still being used, but there was a light that can be seen inside the Church.

Standing so close to such a holy landmark, Kamito felt the natural chills a Devil would sense upon stepping near it.

This was a Church, the territory for Gods and Angels.

In other words, this is enemy territory.

Kamito looks over to the young Sister,

"Is this it?"

"Yes, this is the place! I'm so glad."

Sister shows a sigh of relief after having compared their location with the map she has.

"Is that so? That's good then."

It was starting to get dark. He'll be attending his Devil activities soon. First, he needed to drop the groceries in his hand back at the Hyoudou household.

The detour he had escorting the young Sister was going to delay him slightly.

It was sad that he also had to part so early with her but it was a necessary actions.

She is a nun and he is a Devil.

The compatibility was so bad that hanging around her will literally kill him.

Also, he isn't very fond of Churches.

The institutions back at the [Instructional School] always looked like a Church and so he got bad memories looking at the place.

"Well, I should be going then."

"Please wait!"

As Kamito tries to leave, the Sister stops him by pinching his blazer and tugging him back.

"I would like to make you some tea as a gratitude for taking me here—"

"Ah, sorry. I can't. I need to head home and make dinner."

Kamito states, showing the groceries in his hand to emphasize his words.

"….But that's…."

She's genuinely troubled.

She likely just wanted to show gratitude for Kamito's kindness.

That's all she wanted.

Feeling a twinge of guilt for rejecting her offer, Kamito raises his hand up and rests it on the girl's head.

Rubbing it gently, he said,

"Next time, alright?"

Expressing that desire to meet again, the Sister slightly blushed red at those words.

"O-Okay…."

Easily persuaded by that gentle feeling on top of her head, the girl nods her head timidly.

Kamito pulls his hand away and stuffs it into his pocket.

"My name is Kazehaya Kamito. You can just call me Kamito."

After giving his name, the girl responds with a smile.

"My name is Asia Argento. Please call me Asia."

"Then Asia. Let's meet again one day."

"Yes! Kamito-san, I will definitely come and see you!"

Asia bows her head down.

Kamito leaves the place after waving his hand at her. She continued to watch him as he left until he was no longer in sight.

(She seems like a good girl…)

Then he felt it.

(….!)

Killing intent. Massive amounts of killing intent.

He can feel that oppressive atmosphere lingering in the skies above him.

It was so overwhelming that he can't tell where it is coming from.

His eyes looked up into the air.

He saw nothing except for the sky and clouds.

But there was no denying this feeling.

He, who has killed people over and over, could never mistake this blood-soaked killing intent.

Then he saw it. A black feather slowly descending from the sky, carried by a violent gust of wind.

**Part 7**

It was a close call. He nearly detected her.

She barely escaped before his eyes could zero in on her.

That was to be expected from an [Instructional School] assassin, who had instincts sharper than even the mightiest predator.

Senses even keener than that strongest swords and masterful control of his own body like it was a machine.

Establishing the [Instructional School] was without a doubt a mistake.

No, letting Kazehaya Kamito live on was a mistake.

The most dangerous of the [Instructional School] assassin's, even more powerful than the [Monster].

Raynare should've been more thorough at the time. Even as powerful he was, he was still a child that could've been wiped out by her group at the time.

Now he was a Devil, and even though he was more susceptible to intense lights, his killer instincts made it impossible for her to attack directly. She'll be killed without a doubt if she even enters in range of him.

In fact, had his eyes detected her just then, she surely would've been killed just now.

"As I thought, Kazehaya Kamito is too dangerous to live."

Hovering in the sky, Raynare crosses her arms under her breasts with displeasure.

If only he would mind his own business then she wouldn't have to deal with him.

However, he came in contact with **her**, which complicates the matter even more so.

Seeing no other way, she cannot fulfill her goals without dealing with the issue that is Kazehaya Kamito.

So long as he lives, so did the possibility of her plans failing.

"So, what is your weakness, Kazehaya Kamito?"

Having observed the subject for days, she had uncovered nothing.

As far as his abilities go, she saw no weakness.

The [Instructional School's] Teachings were clearly a bit too effective.

Holding one of his friends as a hostage does seem like a possible action but instigating conflict with the Gremory Group would be a stupid course of action.

No, what she needed to do was isolate and restrains Kamito completely.

That was the problem. She has yet to come up with a solution.

"Perhaps…I'm looking at the wrong place."

A wicked grin slowly grew across her face as her eyes shined while an idea hatched into her mind.

**Part 8**

"Don't ever walk out alone again."

It was nighttime.

Kamito is being fiercely scolded by Rias in the clubroom. She had a more serious face than usual. She seems truly angry.

Those two were in the clubroom alone and Rias is giving Kamito a stern lecture.

"I'm serious, Kamito. There are still Fallen Angels hiding somewhere around town and it's dangerous if they were to recognize you and report it to higher-ups. Worst-case scenario will be that they won't stop until you're dead and erase the last of what that school left behind. Even you aren't strong enough to face all of them as you are now."

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

"You know and yet you still associated with a member of the Church despite those risks? Did you already forget that you sealed away most of your power when you became my servant? You aren't as strong as you once were so stop trying to do all these things alone, okay?"

Rias looks directly at Kamito's eyes while waving her crimson hair.

Kamito shakes his head, clutching his right hand which remains concealed behind his glove.

"I didn't forget. I'm sorry, Buchou. I guess I couldn't really help myself. That girl needed help and I couldn't just ignore her."

Rias sighs while sinking her tense shoulders,

"What am I going to do with you?"

Her stern eyes begin to soften. With an endearing look filled with genuine concern, Rias places her hand gently on Kamito's face.

"I'm only saying this because I'm worried about you. If the Fallen Angels operating around here had a connection to the [Instructional School], then you could be in a lot of danger. It's different from before and you could get seriously hurt if some people found out about you, if not killed. I don't want that to happen to you. I don't want my dear, sweet Kamito to get hurt because of his past again."

She lightly caresses his face.

At one point, this soft cheek was once stained with so much blood.

She did not want to see such an adorable face stained with such ugly colors.

Kamito understood her intentions and her heartfelt concerns towards him.

Because Rias, underneath her Proud and Noble Gremory face, is a soft, kind-hearted woman with a lot of love towards her servants.

""I'm sorry, Buchou…"

Kamito apologizes sincerely, earning a small smile from Rias.

"I thought I told you, call me 'Rias', when we're alone."

"Ah, right…"

Kamito scratches his face which had a bashful expression.

"Ara ara, did you finish lecturing him?"

Akeno suddenly appears behind Kamito, catching him off guard.

He didn't even realize that she was standing there until she spoke. She is smiling like always.

To be able to sneak up on a professional assassin, Rias was astonished to say the least.

"Akeno, did something happen?"

Akeno's smile fades after Rias asks her.

"We received an order for a hunt from the Arch Duke."

**Part 9**

-Stray Devils.

There are beings that are called as such.

The Devil who was turned into a Servant Devil of a Devil with a peerage but who betrayed or killed its master. Cases like that rarely occur.

The powers of Devils are enormous. They can easily snap weak human beings like a twig if they wished.

As such, there will be those who chose to use that power for their own self-interests.

Those Devils leave their master's place and cause destruction at different location.

That is a "Stray Devil".

They are no different from stray dogs.

Stray dogs create troubles. When found, the master or the other Devils are ordered to eliminate them. That is the law of the Devils.

Other beings such as Angels and Fallen Angels see them as threats and they will eliminate the Stray Devils whenever found.

There is nothing scarier than a Devil who does not abide by any rule.

"U-Umm, is it really okay for me to c-come along?"

Issei hesitantly raises his hand up like he was asking a teacher a question.

Since Issei is still starting off as a Devil, this is his first time going out to hunt down a Stray Devil.

So it's only natural for him to be just a little nervous, if not scared.

Issei went to the unused building located at the outer part of the town along with Kamito, Rias, Akeno, Yuuto and Koneko.

He walks just behind Kamito, who carried a unique black one-handed sword with a single-edge blade wrapped in a simple sheath in his right hand.

His left hand, ungloved, showed off the dark magic circle engraved on the surface of his skin.

He reassures Issei,

"Hunting Stray Devils is part of our jobs as Devils too. Don't worry, you're only going to sit back and watch to learn what it's like. In the meantime, you should learn to watch everyone's moves so you can better coordinate with your Boosted Gear. Since you'll have an active support type, it's best to get used to team fighting as soon as possible."

"Umm, b-but what if the Stray Devil tries to attack me? I haven't learned how to fight just yet so if it goes after me, aren't I pretty much screwed?"

Kiba is the one to answer Issei's worries.

"You don't need to worry. Kamito-senpai is an expert when it comes to hunting Stray Devils."

"Eh, is that true?"

Issei directs his gaze towards the back of Kamito's head, who kept his eyes fixed forward.

"Huh? Uh, yeah..."

When Kamito first struck out on his own after the [Instructional School]'s destruction, he acted as a contract assassin, specialized in assassinating devils. At the time, he did not care who his employer was, who his target was, or even the reason the employer had for wanting the target dead.

However, he did know he's been contracted often in the past to hunt down Stray Devils, making him an expert on hunting them.

The experience Yuuto shares hunting Stray Devils with him is proof of that claim.

Rias crosses her arms just under her chest and says,

"Normally, Kamito alone is enough to hunt down a Stray Devil, but I thought this might be a good chance for Issei to learn more about the Devil's duty through actual experience."

Kamito follows up after Rias.

"By the way, Issei. How many times can you double your power with your Sacred Gear?"

"U-Umm, about one or two times..."

"Alright, in that case, try and perform [Transfer] then on me and focus on transferring the power into my sword."

Kamito raises his sheathed blade before Issei's eyes.

Issei quickly objects,

"B-But, isn't it easier if I just transfer it straight to you!?"

"It probably is, but that's not the point. When mastering the Boosted Gear, you should not only focus on how much power you can gather but accuracy and precision as well. Hence, you should try and aim to boost the power of a smaller, faster object like my sword rather than my entire body. It'll be a pain if during an important fight, you accidentally transfer your boosted power to the enemy."

"I-I see. You have a point there..."

Issei murmurs with his eyes centered on Kamito's sword. It was such a thin sword. Could he really do it?

"This will just be practice, so it'll be fine if you mess up."

Kamito reassures him, easily sensing the boy's worries with just a glance.

That made Issei feel a lot less nervous now, thanks to him.

Akeno holds her hand to her face, giggling with amusement to herself.

"Ufufufu, Kamito-sensei is so cool` Do your best, Issei-kun!"

"Yes, I'll do my best!"

He gives a soldier style salute to his senior.

Just a second ago, Issei wanted to go home. However, Akeno's mature smile gives the once-nervous Issei sudden motivation and energy, as if her smile was like an injection of perverted energy into his bloodstream.

Kamito raises his head up, seeing the abandoned building from quite a distance from where they were.

Every night, a Stray Devil is luring humans to the building to feed on them.

As such, there was a request from the High-class Devil to hunt them.

[Since it has escaped to the territory of Rias Gremory, I would like to ask you to eliminate it.]

That was the job. There were evil Devils that exist that eats humans.

Rather, isn't that the stereotypical nature of a Devil in the first place?

While moving forward, Yuuto and Koneko appears on his left and right, respectively.

"I think this is the first time we ever hunted a stray devil together, right?"

"...Pleased to be working with you."

Kamito didn't say anything. He simply nodded with a small smile.

Even though they were a group, he always fought his battle alone.

Fighting alone is a habit he developed during his years as an assassin.

Even now, he had a hard time shaking that habit away.

So at the moment, his abilities in team fighting are currently poor and he has no idea how to coordinate with the others.

It'll be good practice for him too.

It's midnight. They stood in the world of darkness.

Tall grass surrounds everyone. Despite the pitch-black darkness all around them, they could see clearly through the night.

This is because Devils' have the ability to see clearly through the night.

"...Smell of blood."

"...Someone's here."

Koneko says it while covering her nose with her uniform and Kamito sensed the additional presence around them, halting the group.

Koneko possessed a keen nose, allowing her to detect strong scents like blood, no matter how faint it is, so long as it was within a certain distance.

It becomes quiet.

Within the silence, Rias asks,

"Kamito, how many are out there?"

"...Only one."

Back at the [Instructional School], Kamito's training did not solely include enhancing physical capabilities. The training and experiments he were subjected to instilled enhanced senses within him which were amplified even further when he became a Devil.

As such, he can detect a person's presence no matter how well-hidden simply by detecting their heartbeats from a distance. So far, only Akeno has managed to escape detection from this method. Kamito theorized at one point that Akeno may have somehow been able to sync her heartbeats with his to confuse him.

But this time, he can clearly distinguish a separate set of heartbeats throbbing in the darkness, completely seperate from everyone else.

It gave a clear ominous feeling.

"Is it in front? Or behind...?"

Kamito murmurs as his eyes moved from one direction to another.

Even without this ability, he can still sense the dark presence, and the abnormal killing intent.

Issei's legs were shaking. He was really scared. If it weren't for everyone else, he would've run away right now.

"Issei..."

Kamito cautiously calls it out his name while drawing out his black sword. The magic circle engraved on his left hand began to emit a violet shine.

"Whatever you do, do not move from that spot."

"H-Huh?"

"Just stay right there. Don't move even a step."

"R-Right."

Issei had no way of figuring out what to do in this unknown situation. He can only believe in his mentor's words and nods his head vigilantly.

I the meantime, he draws out his gauntlet and readies it before him.

Yuuto draws out his sword and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kamito.

"First hunting Stray Devils together, next we might end up playing a Rating Game together. I'll be looking forward to it, Kamito-senpai."

"Enought with the '-senpai', already...Hmm, a Rating Game, huh?"

Kamito's eyes flashed with intrigue as that familiar term comes out of Kiba's mouth.

'Rating Games' are essentially Chess-like Games that High-class Devils play amongst others using their Servant Devils.

It's quite a popular game, even consisting of tournaments. The strength of their [Pieces] and also how strong they are at the game affects the Devils' social position, and their peerage. There is a thing called [Piece Collect] where they gather humans with talents and make them into their [Pieces].

Like Chess, a winner is determined when the [King] is either defeated or surrenders. Aside from their normal rules, there may be additional special rules to be added to make the Rating Games either more challenging or entertaining. These special rules can include restrictions to add to the challenge or different win conditions to test a peerage's use of strategy.

Typically, these Rating Games have been used to determine a Devil's power and social status in the Underworld.

It is essentially a Devil's pride.

"That does sound like fun but we won't have to worry about that anytime soon."

Rias has yet to mature, so she isn't allowed to participate in an official tournament. Also, they lack a lot of requirements. A full peerage is one of them so a Game is theoretically impossible.

Kamito readies his sword, an aura of jet black lightning runs along the edge of his blade.

"Anyways, we can worry about that when the time comes. It's here..."

At Kamito's call, everyone jerks their head up slightly, following the direction his eyes made with their own.

A cold frigid air fills the skies, sending a disturbing chill through the body.

The intent to kill has become stronger.

Even Issei, a new Devil, can sense it and the instinctual fear is causing his knees to quiver.

"I can smell something disgusting. But I can also smell something delicious. Is it sweet? Or is it sour?"

A low voice which is coming from below the ground.

The cold voice as filled with abnormalities. It emits a sound no human should make.

"Stray Devil Vaizor. We are here to eliminate you."

As Rias declares this, an abnormal laughter echoes.

"Ketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketa…"

A human didn't make that laugh. Even a Devil cannot make such an eerie noise.

A topless woman appears from the shadow. The woman's body seems to be floating.

'O-O-Oppai!"

Issei's eyes were focused in on the woman's chest, particularly around the pink, pointing things at the tips of her breasts.

Kamito lightly scolds him,

"Hey, look more carefully, can't you see it?"

"Yeah, I understand...It's only a B-cup!"

"I didn't mean that!"

Kamito tries to regain his focus, shaking all the stupid thoughts out of his head.

Heavy footsteps shook the ground beneath their feet. The next thing that appears is the body of a gigantic four-legged beast.

It's a grotesque being with an unnatural form having a woman's upper body and the lower body of a monster.

It's holding something that looks like a spear in both of its hands.

The lower body of the monster has four fat legs with sharp claws. In the behind, there was a snake tail that moved all on its own.

Just from its size, it stands at 5 meters, arguably even a little higher if it stood on its hind legs.

It was essentially a monster, called a 'Stray Devil'.

"Leaving your master's side and rampaging as you please definitely deserve death. In the name of Duke Gremory, I will gladly eliminate you!"

"You are cunning for a little girrrrrrl! I will rip your body, and colour it in red just like your haaaaaaair!"

The monster barks but Rias just laughs with her nose.

"Grunts sure do speak in a stylish manner. Kamito! Yuuto!"

"On it!"

"Yes!"

A gust of wind scatters the grass around them as the two kick their feet off the ground.

Wielding their swords, Kamito ran to the right of the monster while Yuuto charged to the left.

Their bodies shot like a pair of bullets; their feet cuts through the field of grass.

As expected of a [Knight], Yuuto's speed couldn't normally be followed with eyes alone.

However a [Pawn] like Kamito had no problem keeping up with a [Knight's] speed.

In fact, he seems to be running at an even faster pace than Yuuto.

The monster used it spears to attack both of them.

"Yuuto, go!"

"Right!"

Yuuto draws out a European sword from the scabbard at his side, and the drawn blade is reflecting the light of the moon.

Just as the spears were about to stab both their bodies, they suddenly vanished and the spears simply stabbed through the after-images that quickly vanished.

Twin flashes of glittering moonlight and black lightning flickered for a moment.

In the next, the scream of the monster echoes.

"Gyaaaaaaaaah!"

Both arms were ripped apart from the monster's torso along with the spears. Blood pours out from both the wounds.

Their blades dancing through the air, Yuuto and Kamito exchanged knowing glances to each other.

"You really are kind, Senpai..."

"I keep saying, I'm not your 'senpai'."

Although it all happened within a single instant, Yuuto understood exactly what happened.

Kamito had shorten the distance between his steps intentionally so that he and Yuuto would attack at the same time.

Not many would notice due to how fast they moved but Yuuto clearly saw it, the way he adjusted his pace by exactly 10 centimeters so that Yuuto would keep up.

Why would he do that? It was likely to learn more about team cooperation for the man who could no longer depend on his own power alone.

Kamito lands on the ground, right behind the monster's hind legs.

It was the ideal blind spot to strike but the snake tail, that seems to be sentient, lashes out at Kamito, bearing his fangs.

It was a straightforward pounce. Kamito simply tilts his head without blinking, allowing the snake to pass over his shoulder right next to his face.

His spatial perception has a much higher awareness than most people, able to calculate the distance between him and his surroundings down to the smallest millimeter.

As such, he knew exactly where the snake would strike and by calculating its speed and distance, can easily adjust his body in response using as little movement as possible to dodge the attack.

While the snake passes by his hand, he readies his sword and with a simple upward swing, he severs the tail off even before the monster realize it could be cut off.

As a former weak human forced to fight against powerful Devils, skills such as this were crucial to survival.

The severed snake tail slithers slightly until it buries itself deep into the tall grass.

Kamito's eyes showed concern for the severed appendage but couldn't kill it because the monster's hind legs lift up in attempt to crush him.

Kamito ducks, uses [Thunderclap] and vanishes before the fat legs smashes into the ground.

A shadow appears in front of the monster's front legs.

It was Koneko, standing completely still.

"Damn inseeeeeect!"

The enormous monster tries to lift its front legs, employing a fierce stomp on Koneko.

With such large, fat legs being smashed down like a pair of mighty hammers against such a petite girl. The end result should be clear and it can only end a gruesome way once they hit the ground.

However, the monster's foot wasn't able to hit the ground. It couldn't stomp completely.

The girl with a tiny body, no larger than a middle schooler, is lifting up the 50 feet monster's foot.

This is the absolute strength and defense of a [Rook]. Thus, Issei gains a full understanding of the girl's brute strength, as well as the mental warning to never make her mad again, otherwise he'll get killed just from getting stabbed with her finger.

Koneko completely lifts up the monster with her small palm.

"...Fly."

Koneko jumps high and punches into the monster's stomach very sharply.

The enormous body of the monster gets thrown straight up into the air.

The enormous monster was sent flying in one punch.

While the monster briefly hangs high up into the air, Kamito stands in its massive shadow, surrounded by a bed of grass.

"Issei, are you ready?!"

"Y-Yes."

"Then do it!"

"R-Right!"

Issei hastily draws out his Boosted Gear. His eyes take aim towards Kamito and the jewel on his Gauntlet begins to glow.

"I'll do it! Boosted Gear Gift!"

[Transfer!]

An automatic voice echoes on his Gauntlet and the green gem in the center releases a brilliant radiance.

It completely envelops Kamito's body, wrapping him in an emerald shine as power fuels his body.

The power transfers to Kamito, not his sword.

"Shit! I messed up!"

Issei screams but Kamito shakes his head.

"This is fine for your first transfer. So long as you know how to use it, the rest is just practice!"

The power that Kamito feels in his body isn't much. It's basically like he had just chugged down an energy drink in one go.

However, that is to be expected from raising their power only once. He expected this much from a Devil that was just starting out.

"Well, it can't be helped, can it?"

Kamito focuses. His entire body seems calm.

Focusing his body and mind, the aura that was around his body slowly transfer to his sword, until it began to emit the same light that he once did.

"H-How did you do that?"

Issei screams to which Kamito answers,

"All I did was just channel the power you transferred to me into my sword. That's all."

Of course, such a feat is easier said than done. However, since Kamito has mastered his own body that he could control every little muscle he had, circulating the demonic power inside him was simple.

Pulling his arm back and aiming the tip of his sword upwards, an aura of jet black lightning envelops his sword and the seal on the face of his left hand was shining vibrantly.

"Take this! Vorpal Blast!"

Kamito shoots his sword up, and a storm of jet black lightning explodes out from his blade towards the sky.

As the monster was caught in the blast, its hind legs were completely vaporized into nothingness, along half of its lower body.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

A painful scream echoes into the night, and it even caused Issei to shiver.

"K-Kamito's strong, isn't he?"

"This isn't his full power but you're right. His swordsmanship aside, his sword has powerful magical capabilities."

"That reminds me, Kamito has a Sacred Gear too, right? What is it called?"

"His Sacred Gear? Well...I suppose we'll leave that story for another time."

Rias left Issei some mysterious words, which left the boy wondering.

Unbeknownst to any of them, danger lurked in the bed of grass.

Rustling through the tall grass, it's bloodthirsty eyes peers out from the shadows.

The severed snake tail that was severed earlier continue to slither through the grass.

Taking aim at the crimson-haired princess, it readies its fangs and silently strikes out before anyone could notice.

Except one.

"Buchou!"

Utilizing godspeed, Kamito flashes behind Rias with his sword in hand.

Rias quickly turns around in a gasp.

"Kamito...!"

Kamito readies his sword in front of him, simply holding it in front as the snake opens its jaw. He mastered his own hand-eye coordination

It was already in the air, following through with its attack. The jaw was going to clench the edge of his blade before it could reach Rias.

It couldn't stop nor could it move out of the way.

All it could do was let its own body get cut right in half simply by letting its jaws get trapped through the still blade.

The twin halves of the snake monsters body fell to the ground right at Kamito's feet.

Kamito raises his foot up and crushes the skulls of both halves to ensure they were killed.

"Th-Thank you..."

Rias says to him, completely astonished.

She had not known about the monster's severed tail that still moved on its own accord, and would probably not have realized it until it was too late.

What kind of incredible senses did Kamito have to detect such subtle killing intent, Rias wondered.

Drawing his sword over his left shoulder, Kamito responds to Rias' words of gratitude with a serious expression.

"All of us would be deeply troubled if something to our cute [King]."

"C-Cute!?"

Rias' eyes snapped wide as a deep crimson color flashes across her face.

Despite being the refine, elegant woman she is, there were times where the boy's smooth compliments would tickle her feminine heart.

"Ohh, that was so cool just now! Oooh, I'm so glad that my teacher is such a cool person!"

Issei exclaims with exhilaration, feeling closer to his goal of finally being popular with the girls with such an amazing person as his mentor.

Kamito sighs,

"Umm, we still have a 'Stray Devil' to deal with here."

"Alright, I suppose I'm up then. Anyone who tries to hurt out Buchou should be punished, right?"

Akeno smiles. But it was a smile that sends chills to all who saw it.

"Alright, Akeno. I'll leave it to you."

Rias says to her [Queen].

"Ufufu, the truth is, I wanted to let out all my pent-up feelings on Kamito-kun this morning. But I suppose this will do."

Whether it was a joke or not, it made Rias look a little annoyed and it caused Kamito to shiver.

"Even in a place like this, you..."

"Hey, wait a minute, what exactly were you planning to do to me?"

"Ufufu, well, I wonder about that now?"

Akeno is laughing while walking towards the monster that is on the ground after having hit by Koneko and its limbs completely wiped off by Kamito.

"Guuuuuuuu...!"

The monster glares at Akeno. Akeno makes a fearless laugh after seeing the monster's gaze.

"Ara ara, seems like you still have some energy left in you. Then how about this?"

Akeno puts her hands towards the sky.

Next instant, the sky sparkles, and a lightning bolt strikes down the monster.

"Gagagagagagagagagagagagaaa!"

The monster gets electrified violently.

Its entire body gets burnt and smoke are coming out from it.

"Ara ara, looks like you still have some energy in you. Looks like you can take more."

The monster gets electrified again. It already sounds like its dying.

Even so, Akeno strikes down the third lightning.

Akeno's face while striking down the lightning bolt looks scary and cold even though she is smiling.

Although she was an ally, watching her fight terrified Kamito slightly.

His blood turned so cold that it was like someone injected ice cubes in his bloodstream.

His entire body shivered from his toes to the tips of his hair.

Issei looked like he was in even worse shape.

"I-I-I-I-Issei, whatever you do, don't make Akeno-san your enemy. As you can see, she's the ultimate sadist...!"

"...Uuu, I'm scared of Akeno-san."

Rias says to the two frightened boys.

"She may be a sadist to her enemies, but she's very kind to her comrades. She particularly likes to spoil Kamito, especially when they were younger and he used to be so cute."

"Y-Y-You don't need to tell him that much, B-B-Buchou...!"

Kamito stammers, looking more scared than usual as his forehead becomes drenched in an incredible amount of sweat. Actually, this is the first time that his face showed genuine fear.

For some reason, mentioning that he was 'cute in the past' caused him to shiver, as if experiencing an old traumatic memory.

In fact, that fear he is just as bad as his fear of Akeno when she becomes a sadist.

"Ufufufufufufufu. How much of my lightning can you take? Right, monster-san? You still can't die yet, okay? I still haven't worked out my frustration for not getting to play with Kamito-kun today! The one who finishes you off will be my master. Ohohohohohohoho!"

...On second thought, he's more afraid of Akeno after all.

Even for a Devil, this was a bit much.

Rather, it was unnecessarily excessive.

The Stray Devil was arguably long defeated after Akeno's third blast of lightning but she still kept going regardless.

She kept blasting the monster for 5 minutes straight. 5 whole minutes of enduring that horrible torture.

(I'm starting to feel bad for the enemy now)

Ironic words have been spoken from the mind of the former assassin.

After Akeno calms down, Rias confirms it and nods her head.

She approaches the monster that has already lost its will to fight.

She puts her hand towards the monster.

"Any last words?"

"Kill me."

That's the only thing the monster says.

"Then disappear."

A cruel reply, devoid of any form of warmth or mercy.

A gigantic black mass of demonic-power is shot out from her palm.

So big that it can completely devour the monster's body.

The mass of demonic power completely consumes the monster. The demonic power disappears, taking the monster along with it.

Confirming that, Rias makes a sigh,

"It's over. Good work everyone."

Rias says it to everyone and they all return to their normal selves.

The 'Stray Devil' hunt was over.

Something about this Stray Devil Hunt exhausted Kamito more than usual.

Probably because he is fighting with others for the first time, he feels more tired than usual.

The Black Sword in his left hand disappears in a flash of violet light. The light gets consumed by the magic circle on his left hand and disappears.

Pulling the black glove out of his pocket, Kamito slips it over his left hand.

"Hey, Kamito. I've been meaning to ask you..."

Issei points to Kamito's left hand. Or rather, he was aiming for the magic circle that was engraved underneath the thin black leather.

"Is that your Sacred Gear, by any chance?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah. I guess you could say it's something like that. The magic circle you saw just now is essentially a seal where I focus anddraw on my Sacred Gear's power. From that magic circle, I can summon out my sword."

"That black sword, right?"

"Yeah, it's called the 'Vorpal Sword'."

"Vorpal Sword? What is that?"

Kamito responds vaguely to Issei's question.

"Well, I'll tell you another time. It'll take too long to say and I'm a bit tired today."

"Ah, alright..."

Issei simply nods his head for the time being.

There were a lot of things that went on tonight and he still had to process through tonight's events before learning anything else.

The fate of the Stray Devil.

It left its master because it had its own ambitions.

He had witnessed a fierce fight. He, who is still unfamiliar with all the things in this new world.

"Never forget what happened tonight, okay?"

Kamito says it to Issei with a small smile. But his eyes weren't smiling with the rest of his face.

"If there comes a time when I betray Buchou, you and everyone else will have to hunt down and kill me the same way like this."

"...Huh?"

Issei couldn't believe the words that were coming out.

Even the idea of it was absurd.

Killing Kamito? Or rather, was the possibility of him betraying Rias even possible?

He didn't want to think of it. He didn't want to believe that possibility could ever happen.

Killing Kamito. Issei is certain that he would never be able to do it.

It wasn't a question of power or skill, he would without a doubt, never have the will to kill him, even if he did become a Stray.

He thought the others would object, or scold him for saying such horrible words.

But instead, there was only silence. Everyone who had heard his voice had a brooding expression as they quietly contemplate it to themselves.

It was as if, they were considering it as well.

The turmoil can be seen in everyone's eyes.

And he realized.

It was the same for them.

They didn't want to accept the possibility.

Instead, they were forced to accept it.

Kazehaya Kamito is painfully aware of how dangerous he is to everyone if he ever decides to one day turn on them.

And because he cares for them so much, he needed to ensure they were resolved enough to finish him should he ever become the danger he's afraid of becoming.

It seems everyone has yet to forge that resolve.

"Wh-What are you saying, Kamito!? Of course, that would never happen, right? You of all people, would never betray Buchou no matter what, right!?"

At Issei's desperate voice, Kamito simply puts on a bittersweet smile.

"Well, who can say?"

**Part 10**

"Kamito-san...I wonder if Kamito-san is doing okay?"

The young sister, Asia Argento, clasps her hands over her chest, as if making a prayer to God.

For some reason, she cannot get that Japanese boy out of her mind.

No, that's not completely true.

She knew the reason why she was thinking about him, why she can picture the boy's face right now.

(His eyes...were so sad...)

Whenever she used her mysterious power, people have always feared her.

They look at her coldly, like she wasn't a human being.

It was like she was a monster in their eyes.

Of course, she did not use this power to gain fame or recognition.

She wholeheartedly wishes to heal other people's injuries to relieve the pain.

That's why she went to that boy who scraped his knee.

It was simply intuition.

Her body moved without thinking.

It was simply a part of her nature, that was all.

She did not fish for gratitude.

But hearing that boy's 'Thank you' made her truly happy.

Those words of thanks were all she needed. So long as she has that, she can help people over and over again, no matter how the people saw her or how they treat her...or use her.

But that boy was different.

When he learned of her power, his reaction was completely unlike everyone else.

His eyes didn't show fear nor did they show excitement.

All she was sadness in that boy's silent expression.

As if trying to sympathize with her, trying to understand her.

It was the first time she ever saw that in someone's eyes.

It was as if, he understood what it was like for her.

What it is like to have an abnormal power, feared and used by everyone around them.

Then Asia begins to believe, or rather, she wanted to believe,

He was the same as her. Someone that has been hurt just like she's been in the past.

Someone who experienced the same pain as her.

"...Kamito-san, where is the pain? Where does it hurt for you?"

Was his pain in a place, that even her power could not reach?


	4. Life 3

Holy sweet mother of jesus ! #$ing christ, this chapter became long. I guess that's you good for you guys though, more to enjoy.

I'm gonna keep on writing as much as humanly possible until I get tales of symphonia chronicles and enter video game shut in mode and I'm optimistic that I'll get the first arc done in the next chapter and get started on the second arc at least before then (Kamito vs Raiser. This will be fun.)

This chapter became longer than I hoped for. I wasn't sure if I was adding too much unnecessary stuff or whatever, but I'm hoping to be a little bit more concise.

It's probably an occupational hazard but I have a bad habit of adding brief logical narration in parts of my story. Not sure if you enjoy parts like that or not.

Anyways, please enjoy and apologies for any grammar errors and word mistakes I might've accidentally overlooked.

Oh and I really should've put this back at the first chapter but,

**Disclaimer: I do not own Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance or High School DxD. These works belong to Yuu Shimizu and Ichiei Ishibumi respectively and I write this fanfic solely for the enjoyment of putting my imagination to words by putting my two favourite light novel series together.**

Now that that's out of the way, read and review! The more reviews I get, the more motivated I become towards writing. See how it is~?

**Life 3: Protector or Destroyer?**

It was another morning at Kuoh Academy.

Kamito sits in his desk like always while quietly waiting for classes to begin.

It's been some time since Kamito had transferred to this school and since then, he is gradually getting used to school life.

So far, he has yet to make any friends aside from the members of the Occult Research Club.

That's because most of the guys hate him for all the special treatment he gets from Rias and Akeno and the girls are just too nervous to come up and talk to him casually, most likely of all the back and forth rumors that makes Kamito sound like a terrifying gigolo apparently.

In response to all that, Kamito can only think 'What the hell is this?' and leave them alone.

In fact, arguably the only people he talks to in his class consists of Issei, Motohama and Matsuda and even then, it's hard to converse with them, when they are talking about,

"Hey, buddy. How was that DVD I lent you? It has some good stuff, wasn't it?"

"Fu…the wind sure was strong this morning. Thanks to that, I was able get a good view of the girls' panties."

Matsuda and Motohama seems to be having conversation that no one in their right mind should be having so early in the morning.

Naturally, he couldn't join in, for he had absolutely no understanding on the subject whatsoever.

It seems to be that they were arranging plans to do something later today. What their intended plans are, Kamito doesn't want to know.

For now, he views Matsuda, Motohama and Issei as [Friends?] because although he has nothing against them, they don't seem fond of him.

Even so, they are the only people in this school that he actually talks to outside of the Occult Research Club.

Watching from his seat, Matsuda rests a hand on Issei's shoulder.

"Okay then, you guys come over to my place after school. Let's watch my secret collection together."

"That's an excellent idea. Matsuda-kun, you should definitely invite Issei-kun as well."

"Of course I'm going to invite him, Motohama-kun. We are high school boys who move with sexual desires. If we don't do anything perverted, it would be disrespectful to our parents who gave birth to us."

The two of them wore lecherous smirks.

Perverts.

No matter how one sees them, they are just some perverted creeps.

And sadly, Issei was one of them.

"Okay then! Today, we won't hold back! We'll get some fizzy drinks and chips while watching porn DVDs!"

Issei shouts so early in the morning with vigor.

"Oh! Yeah, that's it! That's definitely the Issei we know!"

"That's the spirit. We need to enjoy our youth even more."

Matsuda and Motohama are getting all excited.

There was a lot of commotion going on in front of his desk. Kamito wonders what could make them so excited so early in the morning.

"Oh, by the way, Kamito...!"

Issei quickly turns around on his chair and tells Kamito,

"It looks like I won't be attending club duties today. Do you think you can cover for my clients today?"

"...Sure, so long as it isn't that 'Mil-tan', I think I can do it. You look like you could use a break so enjoy yourself for the night, Issei."

"Ah, thanks! You're a lifesaver, man!"

Issei clasps his hands together and bows his head towards Kamito in gratitude.

Issei looked like he needed a break from all of the Devil jobs and training that Kamito has been giving him so Kamito decided to give Issei a break from all of it for a day.

Kamito had intended to give Issei some self-defense and physical training so that he can at least defend himself when the time comes and better work towards mastering his Sacred Gear but he can put that off for another day.

"Kamito...?"

"Issei...?"

Overhearing their casual conversation involving their first names, Motohama and Matsuda stares over at the direction of Kamito and Issei with confused faces.

They look over towards Issei and ask the question that was on their minds.

"Hey, Issei..."

"...When exactly did you and Kazehaya get so close?"

When approached with that question, Issei shows a troubled expression.

"Um, well..."

He couldn't exactly say that 'He is my teacher who's training me into how to become a good Devil'. In fact, he can't mention anything about their connection to the Occult Research Club or they fact that they were Devils at all.

Actually, he had no intention to do so.

Instead, he puts on a cocky grin and boasts to his two friends,

"The truth of the matter is, Kamito here is teaching me all his secrets to becoming a Harem Master! Just watch, Motohama, Matsuda! Very soon, my master's teaching is gonna transform me into a complete gigolo where all the girls are going to want me! I'll become the third Kiba! No, the second Kamito!"

Issei declares, shooting up from his fist while clenching a firm fist, full of hopes and dreams.

His priorities were a little skewed but at least he had passion.

As if a bolt of lightning struck their fragile hearts, Motohama and Matsuda's faces were shattered and their mouths gaped wide open.

"Wha-!?"

"I-Is that true!?"

Their initially distrusting eyes went from Issei to Kamito, as if trying to get the absolute truth from the man himself

Kamito's response:

"...I guess."

He says that while scratching his face. In a way, he is acting as Issei's instructor. And if he does reach the level of a High-Class Devil, then he is eligible to get his own Harem.

So when he thought it like that, he couldn't exactly refute Issei's claim.

His half-hearted answer devastates Motohama and Matsuda.

Were they devastated? It looked more like they had some of painful epiphany more than anything else.

"Of course...! Why didn't we realize it!?"

"What other way to learn how to ecchi things to a girl like groping their tits and sleeping with them than from a master himself!?"

"Umm...I've never done any of that either myself."

Kamito's words fell on deaf ears. As if Matsuda and Motohama's thoughts were off on in their own world, their mind was filled with erotic fantasies and perverted ideas.

And then-

"Kazehaya-sensei! No, Kamito-sama!"

"Please make us your students!"

Their bodies bent full 90 degrees with their heads bowed down towards Kamito.

"...Huh?"

He lets out.

Manly tears fell down Motohama and Matsuda's faces as they let go of their arguably non-existent pride.

"A thousand apologies for our insolence! All this time, we always thought you were an arrogant pretty boy bent on recruiting all the girls in this school into your harem! But you're a really good guy, aren't you?!"

"Teaching Issei the secrets to picking up girls...You're the savior for us unpopular guys everywhere! You're like our messiah-Nay, our Buddha! Descended upon from the heavens to hand down your teachings in Harem-ism!"

"B-Buddha? That's going a little far, isn't it? And I don't think Harem-ism is a proper word, let alone a religion."

Kamito leans back on his chair, suddenly frightened by the strange vibes coming from the two perverts.

However, they were not listening.

Their blood was excited with perverted energy and more tears gushed out of their eyes. Like radical devotees, they screamed so hard that the Heavens could hear them,

"To think this whole time, the answer that we've all been looking for has been in front of us this whole time!"

"Kamito-sama! I will follow you for the rest of my life!"

"..."

Kamito's mind and face remains frozen. The expression in his eyes was a mix of 'I'm glad we could be friends' as well as 'What the hell is this!?'

Even Issei was giving Motohama and Matsuda a weird look, and that alone was saying something.

Motohama adjusts his glasses, while trying to look cool,

"Hmph, I can see it now, our Harem Ending!"

Then Matsuda puts a hand on Kamito's shoulder with a suddenly friendly atmosphere around him.

"We misjudged you, Kazehaya. No, let us call you Kamito! To signify the beginning of our friendship, I'd like to relay an offering to my new Harem Master."

"Uh, no, that's not necessary."

Matsuda opens his bag, and tips out the things inside his bag without any hesitation.

The books and DVD's which are being piled up on Kamito's desk have suggestive titles.

"Feel free to borrow any of these as you wish!"

Matsuda offered but Kamito only gives it a brief look and asks,

"What are these?"

Motohama, Matsuda and Issei all looked puzzled and shocked.

Issei inquires,

"Wait, don't you know a porn magazine when you see one?"

"H-Huh? Uh, yeah! Haha...ha..."

Kamito puts on a terrible fake laugh to hide his ignorance.

To be honest, it was his first time seeing it.

Having been raised in the harsh environments of the [Instructional School], he was denied the ordinary pleasures that most high school students go through at his age.

As such, items such as 'porno mags and DVD's', 'eroge's', and so forth are completely foreign to him.

Of course, he can't reveal that to Issei or anyone.

Being just a normal high school student, he wanted to be as normal as possible.

"Heee!"

A small scream comes from a girl far away.

At the same time, Kamito moves back from his chair.

Or rather, he was pulled back by some of the girls from his class. No, make that all of them.

All of the girls in the class immediately pull Kamito with his chair to the back of the room. The girls formed a protective wall between him and the Pervert Trio.

Two girls embraced Kamito's head in a protective stance while giving Issei and the others harsh glares.

"You guys are the worst~"

"Die, filthy brats!"

"How dare you try and corrupt Kazehaya-kun with all this filth!"

Matsuda and Motohama roar out against all the girls in response.

"Silence! This is our entertainment! Girls and kids should look away and keep away! Or else, I will rape all of you inside my head!"

"At any rate, who are you girls!? And what do you think you're doing to our new friend?!"

The girls respond harshly at Matsuda and Motohama's vulgar words with harsh retorts themselves.

"Huh? Friend!?"

"As if we'll let Kazehaya-kun anywhere near a group of cockroaches like you!"

"We, the Girls' Kendo Club have swore an oath to protect Kazehaya-kun from the dirty clutches of Kuoh Academy's Perverted Trio!"

"No matter what, we won't even let Kazehaya-kun near all that disgusting filth!"

"For the sake of Kazehaya-kun's pure mind!"

Now Kamito's face has a complete 'What the hell is going on here!?' expression.

His eyes take a glance between the two girls hugging his head. He believes their names were Murayama and Katase, members of the Girl's Kendo Club.

"Umm...You two..."

"Don't worry, Kazehaya-kun! We, the believers and protectors of the 'Kazehaya Kamito's Pure Mind Society' will protect you!"

"No matter what, we will not let you become one of them!"

"Uh, I see...:

Kamito thought he finally understood all there is to school life here at Kuoh Academy.

As it turns out, this school continues to go beyond his expectations at every turn.

(Kazehaya Kamito's Pure Mind Society? Seriously? What the hell?)

**Part 2**

It was late at night and Kamito was nimbly walking along the streets of the town towards his next client.

Because Issei is taking a night off to hang out with his friends, Kamito decided to handle Issei's customers for the day.

Today involved only simple jobs, usually spending time talking to the client over a cup of tea.

Normally, he would use the Gremory's transporation magic circle to teleport from house to house when going between clients.

However, since there were two clients that coincidentally lived close to each other, Kamito decided on a whim to simply walk over to the next house rather than teleport.

Perhaps he wanted to enjoy a bit of the cold, brisk air before going onto his last client.

He finished up his clients for the night long ago and was about to finish up with the last of Issei's assigned work.

Despite doing the job of two devils, Kamito hardly felt any exhaustion.

It could be the comfort of the night that Devils are accustomed to or the fact that his requests had been rather simple or straight-forward but Kamito didn't feel like sleeping anytime soon.

The last client is apparently a new one so he didn't need to worry about making the 'I'm filling in for Issei' introduction.

He was heading towards a particular house.

Not a mansion or an apartment but an ordinary house.

The client isn't living alone, so he'll likely run into their family.

Should he explain himself as a Devil or simply an acquaintance of a client he never met before?

Kamito is unsure of which of either he should use when introducing himself at the door.

Kamito stands in front of the particular house.

It was awfully quiet. He wasn't able to hear a thing, even with his ears.

"Are they sleeping?"

Kamito would feel bad if he interrupted them in the middle of the night.

He stands before the doorway and was about to push the bell.

"Hmm?"

The entrance door is already open.

Leaving the door open in the middle of the night is an undoubtedly careless thing to do.

"Wait a minute..."

His heart starts to pound in his chest.

An uneasy feeling sweeps over him.

His natural instincts as a swordsman alerted him of danger.

Curiously, he gingerly opens the door without making the slightest squeak from the door hinge, and peeks inside.

There are no lights. He saw a staircase that led to the second floor, but there are no lights on.

There is only one room at the end of the first floor with some lights on, and it's a faint light.

There was something definitely wrong.

Otherwise, Kamito wouldn't feel so much pressure coming from the simple walls of this house.

Were they asleep? Impossible. He couldn't hear any light breathing coming from the floor above him.

Certainly, there should be someone home if they were leaving the door open at front.

In fact, he can hear the presence of one person somewhere nearby.

Only one? That shouldn't be right.

There were plenty of things wrong with this scenario that Kamito didn't even know which to bring up first.

Kamito looks into the room from the door that was left ajar. There was a dim brightness in the room due to some lit candles.

"...Hello. I'm a Devil from the Gremory House. Is anyone home?"

Kamito asks quietly but he got no reply.

Kamito gulps and using the tips of his fingers, he silently pushed the door open and slips his body through a slight gap.

It felt like he was in the middle of performing an assassination on someone, although that shouldn't be the case.

It was as if his mind was unconsciously set to some form of 'stealth mode' and he was careful as to not make even the slightest creak while his feet nimbly slides across the floor.

(Wait a minute, why am I acting so deviously?)

He couldn't explain his current behavior. It felt like the slightest noise he makes would lead to his death.

He shouldn't be feeling this kind of tension.

He enters a simple living room, composed of a television, a sofa, a table, and such.

It was just an ordinary room.

However-

"...I smell blood."

He didn't need Koneko's sharp nose to detect it. There air in the living room reeked heavy with so much blood, it could make him dizzy.

Slowly turning his head, Kamito gulps back a large amount of saliva.

His eyes glued to the wall next to him.

He saw a body. A corpse is nailed to the wall. Upside down.

The corpse was human. A male to be precise.

Large nails were pierced through the wrists and ankles of the man and his face remained completely frozen with a despaired look.

The eyes were reeled to the back of his head and it looked the blood was drained from his body and building up on the floor beneath him.

The corpse has been cut viciously. Something that looks like a giblet is coming out from the wounds.

This was too much. He could feel a twist in his stomach just from looking at the monster ahead of him.

"...!"

The corpse is attached to the wall with screws, making the shape of a cross upside down.

There are big and thick screws screwed into the palm of each hand, into the feet, and at the middle of its torso.

This form of killing, could not have been done by anyone with even a shred of sanity in their mind.

Even Kamito, who at one point once killed his own emotions and normally wouldn't blink upon killing children, would not have been able to summon up the nerve to replicate this fashion of kiling back when he was still an assassin.

Even though he was once an assassin and have left more corpses, both Devil and human, than anyone else, he had never laid witness to such an atrocity.

As an [Instructional School] assassin, he was taught only to kill with efficiency. Draw first blood, inflict an instant death and escape. As such, Kamito's assassinations can be considered quick and painless, inflicting death and leaving the body as it is, if he had a choice.

However, what he saw wasn't some mere 'assassination'.

It couldn't even be called murder.

The corpse prepared before him was nothing more than simply a piece of material used to construct this horrifying piece of art.

There is a puddle of blood on the floor from the drips of blood falling from the corpse.

(Who could possibly be crazy enough to even attempt something like this?)

There is writing on the wall.

Kamito presses his hand against the writing, trying to trace the words with his fingers.

"What is this...?"

"It's written as "Punishment for those who did bad deeds!". I just borrowed the sentence from someone important."

The voice of a young man came from behind, causing the hair at the back of Kamito's neck to suddenly stand up and swiftly prompts his body to turn around.

There was a foreign man with white hair, looking no older than Kamito. Dressed like a priest with robes, Kamito recognized who or what he was dealing with in an instant.

(An Exorcist?)

A Devi's biggest enemy.

And there was something completely off about this exorcist.

This man's lips formed an evil smile and there was something twisted lingering in his eyes.

"Hmm hmm. Well Well, if it isn't a Devil-kun!"

He seems to be really happy. Too happy. The man's tongue was happily dancing from out of his mouth when he laid eyes on Kamito.

He's a priest, related to a Church. Kamito finds himself in the worst kind of situation for a Devil, but he found something unsettling about the way his eyes shined.

He sensed too much bloodthirst than a normal Exorcist should have.

Yes, the eyes this man had were not that of an Exorcist fulfilling his duty, but that of a mad butcher who took pleasure in carving his victims while they were still alive.

"I'm a priest~ A boy priest~ I cut down devil-like people~, and I laugh at them~I cut the head of you Devils, and receive my meal~"

The priest starts to sing and dance out of nowhere, leaving Kamito puzzled, but not enough to let his guard down.

"My name is Freed Zelzan. I belong to a certain Exorcism organisation. Ah, just because I introduced myself doesn't mean you have to. I don't want to remember your name in my memory, so please don't. It's okay, since you are going to die soon. I will make sure of it. It might hurt at first, but later you will feel so good that you will cry. Now let's open the new door _-ZE_!"

The priest makes an introduction that reeked of madness while performing a mocking bow.

Kamito cautiously tried to slip off the glove on his left hand by shuffling his fingers without alerting the priest.

Keeping his anxiety down, Kamito gulps back and asks him.

"Did you do it? Were you the one that killed this person?"

Kamito gestures with his head to the corpse right behind him, slipping his glove off subtly until he revealed about half of the magic circle he needed to expose in order to draw out his sword.

"Yes, yes. I killed him. Because~, he was a regular criminal who has been summoning Devils, so I had to kill him."

Kamito's flared up with a tranquil rage upon hearing that absurd reason.

"You killed him...? For something like that...?"

Kamito tries to keep calm but he was glaring fiercely at the priest.

Due to his past, he had no right to lecture him for what he did.

However, even he knew that upon seeing the way the corpse was left when he came in, that was a horrible reason to justify killng him.

"Huh? Are you shocked? Aren't you running away? That's weird? Really Weird. I mean humans who make a pact with Devils are scum. Scum indeed. Can't you understand that? No? Is that so? Well you are a scum Devil after all."

There was no logic or reasoning behind his words.

Just self-righteous nonsense from some self-imposed ideals.

Kamito has doubts whether this priest actually believes the words that were coming out of his own mouth.

"Aren't you supposed to only kill Devils? Since when did an exorcist begin murdering humans then?"

"Haaaaa? What the fuck is that? A mere Devil like you is lecturing me? Hahaha. I will laugh at this. You probably could get a reward for being funny. Okay then, listen carefully you shitty Devil. Devils also use humans' greed to survive. Relying on a Devil proves that you are no longer a human. It's the end. That's why I killed him~. I make a living by killing Devils and those that are contracted to a Devil. That's my job."

"A job, huh? You sure look like you have a lot of fun for something that is just a job."

Kamito states firmly, gesturing to the corpse behind him as he tries to make his point across.

"At any rate, you're much crazier than any Devil I've ever come across."

"Haa~~? What are you talking about? Devils are trash. Do you know they are a shitty existence? Do you know this is common sense? Didn't you know? Seriously, you should start your life back from a toddler. Wait, it's useless to tell this to a reincarnated Devil like you. More like, I have to kill you! Hahahaha. It's awesome, isn't it? It's the best, isn't it?"

The priest pulls out a sword that had no blade, and a gun.

A sound vibrates in the air.

The sword that only consisted of a handle emits a dense blade composed entirely of light.

A one-handed sword where the blade is simply a dense concentrated mass of light.

"You kind of irritate me, so can I cut you? Can I shoot you? Is it OK? Okay then. Now I'm going to stab your heart with this_blade of light_, and I'm going to blow your head with this cool looking gun! Man, I'm seriously going to fall in love!"

The priest sprints towards Kamito.

Fully swiping off his black glove, the magic circle on his hand flashed and a familiar black sword materializes in his hand.

"Stop screwing around...!"

Kamito reproaches harshly, charging towards the priest.

A strip of light and a stream of black lightning charged towards one another.

A sharp sound vibrates through the air.

Kamito's Vorpal Sword clashes head-on against Freed's laser-sword.

Locking their blades against each other, a violent reaction of jet black sparks flashed at the point of contact.

(Urk…!)

A brief grunt comes out of Kamito as he silently endures the released sparks.

Vorpal Sword is by nature, a demonic sword and a darkness elemental one at that.

Like Devils, the demonic sword's strength is determined inversely by its exposure to light.

As such, his sword is at its strongest when shrouded by darkness and it's at its weakest when exposed to intense light.

So, holy based weapons like the priest's sword of light were his sword's natural enemy.

The magical power in his sword was starting to leak out from where the light sword was cutting it in sparks of black lightning.

And the close proximity of the sword of light gave the sensation that his skin is starting to get burned.

The priest wears a mocking grin as he pushes his face closer, just over their crossed blades and his ecstatic eyes stared straight against Kamito's glare.

"Ooh, you have some moves, don't you, Devil-kun? This is good! This is good! This is really good! Let's have some fun before I kill you, you shitty Devil!"

Freed draws his sword back before releasing a wild tempest of slashes,

Due to the virtually weightless properties of his sword of light, the priest is able to slash madly without feeling any strain on his wrists, no matter how fast he swung.

Arcs and beams of lights were being drawn from all directions.

Unable to keep up of all the flickering lights coming from every angle, Kamito raises his sword up in a defensive manner and his instincts took over.

Utilizing fencing style techniques, Kamito rapidly draws his sword through the air, parrying all of the bloodthirsty arcs of white light that came at him.

Heavy strain came to his wrist and forearm as he tried to keep up with the timing of the light slashes coming from all angles.

Although the light sword's assault consisted of very light attacks and required little strength to block, a single slash from that sword could be enough to damage, if not kill him entirely.

As such, Kamito had to keep his wits up to ensure that the light blade doesn't even touch him.

"Hey, hey, look over here!"

Never ceasing those insidious tongue movements, Freed raises his left hand in the midst of his sword swipes and aims his gun forward.

A mass of intense light comes out from the tip of the gun's muzzle, in the form of a lone bullet.

Kamito had completely forgotten about the gun's presence until the sound of gunfire pierced his ears and the bullet cuts through the air, grazing his right cheek.

His evasion against that bullet was of pure luck due to the position of his head. Had it been more to the right, the bullet would've pierced through his skull.

The boy stood there dazed for a moment, until recollecting his thoughts.

Immediately, he takes a step back and his feet slide across the room as he tried to gain distance from the priest's sword and a dangerous shot from point blank range.

"Hey, hey, hey, stay still so I can blast your head off!"

Freed demands with a vulgar tongue.

Resting his light sword over his shoulder, Freed readies his silver gun and aims it towards Kamito while he was still trying to gain distance.

His finger squeezes the trigger three times, allowing three light bullets to come out of the gun between recoils.

This time, Kamito is aware of the bullets coming for him this time.

His eyes detect the fast-moving bullets coming his way and his body moved accordingly.

He sways to the left, allowing the first to pass over his left shoulder; he ducks down slightly, evading a bullet that would've pierced his skull and jerking his body upwards.

When the last came, Kamito's heel hits the wall at the end of the room.

Having realized he was literally backed into the wall, the third bullet was coming right at him.

He had no more room to move and no time to dodge.

All he could do is lift his sword up vertically and hold the one-handed blade right in front of his body against the bullet that came his way. He infused the edge of his sword with demonic power so that it would make contact with the bullet of intense light coming right at him.

Rip-!

The mass of light splits into two once the bullet strikes the demonic edge of his sword, forming twin smaller masses that flew off in a 'V' and pierces the walls right next to both sides of Kamito's head.

Even Kamito was left surprised upon seeing the bullet actually strike the edge of his sword.

"Hey, how the hell did you do that, you shitty Devil?"

'Pure Luck' would've been Kamito's answer but he had no intention on answering his enemy.

Instead, he cautiously watches every subtle movement of the mad priest while holding his sword up before him.

A cut opens up on his face, caused by the bullet that grazed him earlier, allowing his hot blood to soak his cheek.

Even though it was just a graze, he feels his entire face go completely numb.

Kamito's eyes briefly gets drawn to the unique pain in his cheek and the priest could read those eyes clearly and says,

"How is it!? The special bullet made for the Exorcists, the _bullet of light_! And it doesn't make any sound. Since its bullet of light. This situation turns both of us on, doesn't it?"

The priest screeches out more insane words that Kamito couldn't care less about hearing.

When Kamito looks at it, he finds himself in a horrible situation.

He had a bad compatibility with his opponent as it is and the house they were in was hardly the ideal location to battle, due to the narrow surroundings.

Using attacks like the [Vorpal Blast] was also out of the question.

The surrounding neighbors would definitely be alerted by the sounds of jet-black lightning roaring so close to them and fighting with that kind of power could put innocent people at risk.

To sum it all up, he was basically facing a mad beast with his hands tied behind his back.

The only option he had was arguably to escape.

"Hey hey, I'm not letting you run away like a little girl to her mommy, you know! I haven't killed a shitty Devil all day! I'm suffering a goddamn relapse! So c'mon, Devil! Die! Die, die, Devil! Die Devil! Turn to dust and disappear! This is all for my entertainment!"

The priest laughs madly, releasing a wave of distorted noise from his mouth that was more than enough to give Kamito a massive headache.

Kamito is normally a patient person. However, this was the first time he ever wanted to cut out a person's tongue if it meant they'll shut up.

Their swords released a vivid black and white glow.

The next second.

Both Kamito and Freed kick off the floor at the same time.

"Please stop!"

Both Kamito and Freed froze their postures after taking only a single step.

A familiar voice of a woman cries out in the air.

Just before the two sword-users were about to attack each other, they both turned their head and looked towards the direction of where the voice came from.

"-!"

A girl is there. Kamito knew who that girl is.

"Asia."

The blonde haired Sister stood there, eyes frozen in horror upon walking in on this horrible scene.

The sight of blood, the hanged corpse and the two men trying to kill each other.

(Why...? Why are you here...?)

Kamito silently gasps in his own mind.

He had hoped to have never see the young Sister again, especially in a place like this.

What kind of joke is this. Fate is being too cruel by orchestrating this kind of reunion.

"Well if it isn'y my assistant, Asia-chan. What happened?

"! N-Noooooooo!"

Asia screams after seeing the corpse that is nailed to the wall.

"Thank you for the adorable scream! Oh yeah, this is your first time seeing a corpse like this, isn't it, Asia-chan? Then look carefully. We have the humans that are entranced by a Devil die like this."

"…N-No…"

Her eyes exchange frightful glances between Freed and Kamito, and she was completely shocked to see Kamito.

"...Father Freed...That person..."

Asia looks at Kamito directly with wide eyes. Her delicate mind has yet to fully grasp the situation.

Freed lets out a mocking cackle.

"Person? No, no. This shit here is a Devil. Hahaha, what are you misunderstanding?"

"-! Kamito-san is a...Devil...?"

Asia was struck speechless. The truth hits her like a thousand needles stabbing all over heart.

She looked like she was betrayed. No, Heartbroken. That was the more appropriate word to describe her face.

Unable to deny Freed's claim, Kamito averts his eyes away shamefully.

"...I'm sorry. I didn't want you to know. I...didn't plan to see you again...At least, I didn't want to see you again like this...!"

"...It...can't be...!"

Denial fills her thoughts. She wanted to deny everything. Freed's claim and Kamito's words, she didn't want to believe any of it was real.

Freed exchange glances between Asia and Kamito.

"What, what? You guys know each other? Wow. Now this is a big surprise. Is it the forbidden love between a Devil and a Sister? Seriously? Are you serious? "

Asia remains in silence. She couldn't find any words to express. It was as if the only thought in her mind took the shape of a twister of emotion and confusion.

Her eyes kept stabbing Kamito's heart with guilt.

He would've been happy if she only thought of him as a kind high school student.

Destiny is cruel to have done this to him.

"Sorry...I'm sorry for being a Devil."

Kamito smiles bitterly while giving Asia a heartfelt apology.

He apologizes candidly and sincerely. Asia saw that sympathetic loneliness in his eyes once more.

"Kamito-san..."

Freed held his stomach with both hands and bent over in laughter.

He guffaws, unable to control himself.

"Ahaha! Devils and humans can never coexist! Especially humans from the Church and the Devils are the biggest enemies! Also, we are a group of heretics that was deserted by God. Asia-tan and I are humans that can't survive without the support of Fallen Angels-sama."

(Heretics!?)

Normally, figures such as priests and nuns work under Gods.

However, they have been cases of heretics aligning themselves with Fallen Angels.

That would certainly explain the overall behavior of the insane bastard standing in front of him.

"Well now, leaving that aside, I need to kill this trash here or else I can't finish my job, so here I come. Are you ready?"

Licking his lips with his eyes lidded with a crazed ecstacy, he thrusts his sword towards Kamito, who responds by raising his sword in front of him.

He doesn't want to do it but if he holds back, the priest will most certainly kill him. His body might even get nailed to the wall in the same manner as the client after getting slashed apart.

A slight twinge of fear festered in his heart.

He was in a situation that had only two options: kill or be killed.

Seeing no other choice for him, Kamito grips his fingers tightly around the hilt of his blade.

While thinking all these things, Asia stands between Freed and Kamito.

She stood in front of Kamito with her arms spread out, as if trying to protect him.

Kamito's eyes grew wide with surprise upon seeing the Sister trying to protect him, a Devil.

"Asia…!"

He whispers out with a hoarse voice.

Freed glares sternly at Asia, clicking his tongue with displeasure.

"…Hey, hey. Are you serious? Asia-tan, do you know what you are doing?"

"…I do. Father Freed, I beg you. Please forgive this person. Please let him go."

Kamito is speechless. He had never seen it before. A servant of God, defending him, a Devil.

It is an unbelievable irony.

Kamito's mind froze while trying to accept the situation before him.

Freed looked just as confused as Kamito was.

"I can't stand it any more… You can't kill people just because they are entranced to a Devil and you also can't kill Devils. It's wrong!"

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!? Don't talk shit, bitch! You also learned that Devils are trashes at the Church! Seriously, is there something wrong with your brain!?"

Freed now has an anguished expression.

"There are good people, even among Devils!"

"There aren't, idiooooooot!"

"T-That's what I thought until recently… But Kamito-san is a good person. That fact doesn't change even after I found out that he is a Devil! Killing someone is unforgivable! This kind of act! God won't allow such acts!"

She saw the corpse, and she found out that Kamito is a Devil, so she should be shocked. But Asia isn't backing down to speak her beliefs to the priest.

She had a strong will. She is amazing.

However, that only seems to widen the guilt in Kamito's heart when he heard her righteous sermon.

"_Kamito-san is a good person."_

"_Killing someone is unforgiveable!"_

Those two sentences contradicted each other in his mind.

The inner turmoil he feels when comparing the Kamito that Asia sees and the Kamito he knows he is, clashed violently within him.

It's like his heart will tear in two against the two conflicting sides.

(Yes, that's right….Asia….Killing is unforgiveable.)

He cannot be forgiven for the blood-stained sins he carved into his past; as such, he cannot consider himself being even a part of the good person that Asia seems to admire.

The grip on his sword unconsciously loosened and his mind wandered….

"What are you saying, you damn bitch!"

Eyes filled with anger akin with the expression of a mad beast, Freed recklessly draws his sword up with the lethal intent in his eyes aimed towards Asia.

(…! He wouldn't…!)

Kamito always thought this person was mad, but he was aware that a light sword burning at such intensity can injure humans as well as demons, right?

A single slash from the intensely burning sword could cut Asia in half if swung with all its force.

But Freed's eyes were too swept up in a blind fury to realize he was aiming his sword at a comrade.

…Or maybe he cared that little for the girl's wellbeing.

With a shriek filled with madness, Freed swung his sword.

"Watch out!"

"Kyaaaah!"

Kamito reacts to the same timing as to which Freed swung his sword against Asia.

His mind becomes white.

There was no time to think, or even plan out his course of action.

His body simply moved on its own accord.

Controlled by the desire to protect the young Sister, Kamito charges straight in recklessly.

He can't dodge at it.

His sword won't be able to block it in time.

His mind is too frantic to time a proper counter.

This is a truly reckless move.

Freed swung his sword horizontally. At the same time, Kamito forces Asia back by pulling the collar of her robe, stepping forward to shield the girl as she abruptly falls back towards the floor.

When his eyes focused on the blade of light that was coming his way, it was already too late.

And still, he pulls his head back to try and minimize the damage he was going to take.

Asia's rear crashes onto the hard floor and at the same time, the light sword that would've sliced through neck ended up with the tip cutting across the surface of Kamito's eyes instead, drawing red blood across the floor.

"A-ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!"

A pain filled scream erupts from Kamito's lungs.

He collapsed, his knees suddenly giving into the pain boiling in his eye sockets and pounding into his brain.

It hurts. His mind was filled only on thoughts of intense pain rushing through his brain, threatening to burst out of his skull.

It paralyzed his own body, forcing him down on one knee while his mind stresses to contain himself.

A powerful urge to vomit steadily rises up from his throat.

Trying to suppress that urge, Kamito tries to peek out with his bloodied eyes, only for more blood to pour out from the gap between his eyelids.

Kamito shuts them close as tight as he could. Burning, crimson blood poured out of his eyes like tear.

The sword he held dematerialized back into the magic circle in his hand, which clutched onto his face, over his damaged eyeballs.

"K-Kamito-san!"

Asia shrieks horrifically. Intense fear overwhelmed her mind upon hearing Kamito's terrible screech.

There was blood. So much blood was falling in thick drops on the floor right next to Kamito's feet.

"S-Stay back…! R-Run away…!"

Kamito cries out with a hoarse voice between labored breaths.

His pleas falling on deaf ears, Asia picks herself up and runs straight to the man that just saved her life.

"K-Kamito-san…!"

Freed casually gazes down at his sword while whimsically murmuring to himself; his demeanor was far too calm considering he almost killed Asia and would've had Kamito not got in the way.

"Oh, shit…That was a close one. I would've been deep, deep, deep, DEEP shit if Asia-tan got killed. But…Lucky me! To think that I got a shitty Devil so stupid enough to run into my sword like that! Asia-tan, you did a good job there! A really good job! I can finally kill the Devil now, thanks to you! Your God would've been so proud! Gyahahahahaha!"

Freed laughed in a shrilled voice with his tongue sticking out, clutching his face uncontrollably.

Asia's eyes widened with empty despair as Freed's words nested in her heart.

"N-Nooooo! This isn't-I didn't-! I didn't mean-!"

Asia's mind and heart were so fragile; they were on the verge of breaking.

"….Shut up."

Since he couldn't see past his bloody eyes, Freed's voice was what gave his direction away.

However, Kamito would still prefer if he remained silent if it meant ceasing his vulgar words.

He raises his head up towards Freed's direction, clenching his teeth fiercely.

"Shut the hell up already! Don't drag Asia down to your sick, twisted level!"

"K-Kamito-san!"

Freed wrinkled his brow and curves his lips upward.

"Hey, you shitty Devil. Who the hell are you to order me around? If you can't tell, I'm going to kill you! So beg! C'mon, get on your knees and beg for your life like the cowardly Devil you are! C'mon let's see some tears! I want to hear you cry just before I blast your head off!"

He kept beating words into Kamito's ears with the eyes of a deranged monster.

He threatens while mockingly waving his sword and gun around, despite the fact that Kamito could not see.

Kamito clutches onto his blood-soaked eyelids, nowhere near ready to open them up again.

"Kamito-san! Hold on, I'll heal your eyes right away!"

He had almost forgotten the Sister's special ability to heal any wound.

Kneeling stationary on the ground, Asia cups her hands over Kamito's head and a familiar warm green light envelops his face. Before enough time could pass, however-

"Don't interfere, you fucking witch!"

Freed's elation instantly turns to a mad fury as the priest violently swings his left arm across, hitting Asia with the side of his gun.

"Kyaaah!"

Asia was knocked to the side and fell to the ground. A bruise quickly grew on the side of her face.

"Asia!"

Kamito screams, looking towards the direction of Asia's scream.

He still couldn't see because the damage to his eyes still lingered.

However, he didn't need eyes to recognize the lethal killng intent coming from the blade of light pointing towards his head.

"…The Fallen Angel girl told me very strongly that I can't kill you. But I'm getting a bit pissed. Since I can't kill you, than can I rape you or something? If I don't, I won't be able to heal my heart. But before that, I need to kill that trash over there."

"Asia….Run!"

The pain in his mind dulls to the point where Kamito can finally stand up.

At this point now, victory can be considered impossible.

He can't even see his target and his mind is too warped from pain to concentrate.

The direct attack from the light-based weapon at such a sensitive area drained his strength significantly, to the point he can't even materialize his sword.

In short, he is essentially a dead man, counting the little seconds away.

However, if those little seconds could save an innocent girl, he'll gladly take advantage of them.

He puts on a battle stance, raising his fists up.

The priest whistles and seems really happy.

"Eh? Eh? Seriously? Seriously? You are going to fight me like that? You will die, you know? You will die with a lot of pain? I have no intention of killing you painlessly, okay? Now then. Let's see if I can make a new record for the smallest minced-meat!"

He spits out words creepy enough to make Kamito's stomach churn.

No matter how he sees it, he's dead.

The pirest jumps high, with an attack aimed to kill.

The floor then begins to emit a blue and white shine.

Freed becomes suspicious when the floor glows and Kamito, still blinded, couldn't tell what was going on. He stood there, anxiously waiting for a killing blow that has been halted.

The light molds into a shape.

A magic circle representing the House of Gremory.

The magic-circle starts to shine.

Devils start to emerge from it.

"Kamito-kun, are you okay!?"

The alarmed voice was definitely a male. Kamito recognizes it.

"Y-Yuuto...?"

Kamito couldn't see him but the voice definitely came from Yuuto.

"This is bad...! His eyes...!"

"...! Senpai...!"

Akeno shows genuine concern upon seeing her cute underclassman's condition.

Even Koneko was slightly frightened upon arrival.

His eyes were clearly slashed across and blood was pouring out at an alarming rate.

"You guys...!"

Words can't possibly convey his gratitude upon realizing that his friends were around him.

He can't even express it with the incredibly stinging pain constantly throbbing in his damaged eyes.

He couldn't see them but he can sense their anxiety and can imagine their fearful faces at this moment.

"Hyahou! Here's a present for a group of Devils!"

Freed leaves his tongue hanging from his mouth as he starts slashing his sword.

"You bastard...!"

Yuuto's eyes showed a rare moment of silent fury. His eyes were like a tiger with claws that could easily tear the priest apart.

The sound of metal echoes throughout the room.

Yuuto blocks the priest's attack with his sword.

"You're gonna pay...! Blinding my senpai with such an underhanded trick! Do you feel proud fighting with such dirty tactics?!"

"Oh, oh! A mere Devil being angry about their comrade? What are you guys? Devil Squadron, the Devil Rangers? That's nice. I can feel the heat. I'm getting turned on! So how is it? Are you one the sticking it in, and is he the one bending? So are you guys in that sort of relationship?"

With the exhange of words, the priest arrogantly sticks his tongue out while shaking his tongue and head incomprehensibly.

Yuuto wears an anguished expression.

"…What a vulgar mouth. It's hard to believe you are a priest… Oh, that's why you are a "Stray Exorcist", right?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm vulgar! Sorry about that! That's because I strayed away! I was kicked out! That's why, screw the Vatican! I'm all right as long as I get to cut Devils whenever I feel like it!"

Their swords continue to trade blows.

Despite Yuuto's calm face, his eyes were filled with the flames of rage.

His eyes fixated on his foe, his intention to repay that damage he's inflicted on Kamito in full.

Freed continues to laugh with a mad ecstacy as he enjoys this fight to his heart's content.

"You are the type that is the most hard to deal with. Someone who feels like they are living by cutting Devils…the one who causes the most harm to us."

"Haaaaah!? You know, I don't want to be told off by a Devil? I'm trying to live now just like other people! I'm not in a position where pests like you can talk down to me!"

"Even Devils have rules."

Akeno's eyes were glaring with electricity crackling under her gaze.

She will definitely never forgive what this priest did to Kamito's cute eyes.

Like a mother when her child is being threatened, Akeno shows and incredible hostility and a will to fight to protect one of her own.

Just her sharp glare was emitting sparks of lightning.

"Nice. I like those passionate eyes. Onee-san, you are the best. I can feel your urge of wanting to kill me. Is this love? No. I think it's a killing intent! Superb! This is great! I love the feeling of intending to kill and getting intended to kill!"

"Then disappear!"

Rias proclaims while stepping up at Kamito's side.

Her crimson hair flared up as her rage took form of an overwhelming crimson aura hanging all over her body.

She is angry. She is really angry. It took everything the woman had just to suppress the fury that constantly urged to be released.

"Kamito, I'm sorry. I never expected a Stray Exorcist to be here!"

"Bu...chou..."

Kamito speaks with a slight strain in his voice.

He wanted to look at her face, to see what kind of expression she had on.

Did anger take command of her face? Or was it sadness?

He couldn't tell.

He then felt thin fingers lightly holding his cheeks.

He recognizes the feelings of this soft touch.

This is the hand of the girl who would always feel upon his face with affection.

"Your eyes..."

Rias whispers sorrowfully as she feels his face, and tries to wipe the marks of blood on his face.

No matter how hard she tried, more blood would only replace the blood she tried to wipe away.

"Sorry, Buchou...I...I was careless."

Kamito confesses with a guilt-ridden voice but Rias assures him.

Shaking her head, she whispers to him with a soothing voice.

"What matters to me is that you're okay. So long as you're alive, we can heal the damage to your eyes."

Leaving him with those kind words, Rias turns around and glares at the Priest.

"You were the one taking care of him?"

Despite her words, she spoke in a low, chilling voice.

"Yes, yes. I have been playing around with it. I was planning to cut his body all over but I was interrupted and it finished as a dream."

"...You filth."

A section of the furniture behind Fried was completely vaporized.

Rias shot out a mass of demonic-power as a warning.

"I will never forgive a lowlife like you for damaging my precious Kamito's eyes...! I'll personally ensure that the eyes in your head are ripped out in repentance!"

Her intensity completely froze the atmosphere.

Her killing intent lurks inside the room, Rias emits waves of demonic power from her body.

"! Buchou, there seems to be few Fallen Angels heading to this house. At this rate we will be at a disadvantage."

Akeno detects a subtle change in the atmosphere and informs the others.

Rias gives Freed another stern glare. She would want nothing more than to personally melt the Priest's vulgar eyes from their sockets as a form of penance; however, she couldn't let her personal feelings get in the way from taking necessary action.

"…Akeno, we will return to our headquarters once we retrieve Kamito. Prepare for teleportation."

"Yes."

At Rias' urging, Akeno casts a spell and the Gremory House Magic Circle starts to shine beneath their feet with vibrant, crimson colors.

Running away. That's what they were doing.

Kamito realized there was no other option left. But even so, he had a hard time accepting it.

(Asia...)

Kamito lifts his head. Although blind, he can still sense that girl's holy presence in the room. He raised his head in the direction of the blonde-haired Sister sitting on the far side of the room.

"Asia..."

Kamito wanted to take her with him.

However, he knew that couldn't be done.

Only Devils could use the magic-circle for transportation and one needed to be a memory of Rias Gremory's peerage to use the one they were about to use.

In short, he couldn't save her.

As he is now, he couldn't burst out and take the girl, fighting through all the enemy Fallen Angels in a vain attempt to save her.

That would be suicide. The others could get hurt as well, or worse.

He couldn't do that to them nor could he save that girl.

That girl, Asia, had every reason to curse him.

He deceived her, brought harm to her and in the end, he couldn't save her.

She had every reason to hate him.

Then, she just smiles at him. He couldn't see it but somehow, he could feel her smile gracing him.

Kamito snaps his head upon sensing it.

"Asia..."

"Kamito-san, let's meet again."

"...I...I..."

The anger and sadness Kamito felt towards himself reached the peak of his emotions.

Despite these feelings, he refused to give into despair.

"I promise!"

Asia's face willth with surprise as Kamito declares, pouring his heart and soul into his voice.

"Someday soon, I'm coming back for you! I'll save you, no matter what! That's why, wait for me!"

Next moment, Akeno finishes casting the spell, and the magic-circle on the floor starts to shine blue again.

Freed comes in charging, but Koneko threw the sofa at him. The priest easily cuts through the sofa with his sword, but by then, they had already teleported back.

Succumbing to his wounds and exhaustion, Kamito lost consciousness.

The last thing he recalled was Asia's smile and the promise he made.

**Part 3**

There are two types of Exorcists.

The first are the Exorcists who receive the blessing from God to perform exorcism in the name of justice. This group of Exorcist borrows its power from God and Angels to eliminate Devils. And there is another one. — "Stray Exorcists". The man who calls himself Freed Sellzen belongs to the latter category.

Exorcism is a holy ceremony that is performed in the name of God. But sometimes, there are Exorcists who starts to enjoy the act of killing Devils. They are beings who have found killing Devils as joy and as their purpose of life. So they get kicked out from the Church without exception. Or they get erased for being found guilty.

But there are those who survive. And they go align themselves to the Fallen Angels.

Even though Fallen Angels are beings that were kicked out from the heaven, they still have the power of light, — the power to eliminate Devils.

The Fallen Angels also lost a lot of their comrades and their men in the previous war.

That's why the started to collect servants, similar to Devils. Freed, being one of them, belonging to an organization with the support of the Fallen Angels.

That's why they are called 'Stray Exorcists'. Not quite Exorcists but just as dangerous.

No, because there are no restrictions to their behavior, they might actually be more dangerous.

These dangerous Exorcists who became addicted to Devil-hunts started to attack Devils and the humans with connections to Devils by borrowing powers from the Fallen Angels.

"That means the Church in town did not belong to God, but to the Fallen Angels."

Rias quietly murmurs that to herself with a grim expression on her face.

Pinching her chin, she asks the question to herself, 'What exactly are the Fallen Angels planning?'

She sits at her desk in the clubroom while contemplating that.

It's already quite late in the morning and almost 12 hours had passed since rescuing Kamito from the priest that night.

Since then, or perhaps long before that night, Rias has been keeping a very close eye on the Fallen Angel's activities.

The Fallen Angels are most certainly planning something in her territory, something that she could not possibly ignore.

At the same time, she couldn't make any rash moves either without knowing all the details.

With a solemn face, Rias thought deeply on the subject for a few moments, and the door opens up.

"Rias, I'm coming in."

Akeno announces before stepping into the room, standing before her [King] with a quiet and serious expression on her face.

The first words that came out of Rias' mouth were,

"How's Kamito's condition?"

Akeno gives the answer in a straightforward manner.

"Luckily, the damage done was only minor and the cut only affected the surface. We were able to clean up the wound and repair the physical damage. However, the exposure to light in such a sensitive area imparted his vision. It has yet to recover. Right now, he's getting some rest."

"I see…I suppose I should be glad."

Rias pursed her lips bitterly while clutching a hand over her chest with a complex look.

This was the best she could wish for. So long as he is still alive, that's all she could ask.

She can't even fathom how lucky-or unlucky- she was tonight.

"Rias, what should we do? It seems the Fallen Angels are causing more of a commotion in the town then we predicted."

Rias pinches the tip of her chin with her fingers, and says to Akeno,

"I would like to know exactly what their intentions are. It might have something to do with that Sister."

"What should we do about her then?"

"There's nothing we can do. She is a servant of Fallen Angels. Doing anything, let alone saving her, could make the Fallen Angels our enemies. We'd be forced to fight. The worst case, this town would become a battlefield…..By the way, where is Kamito right now?"

"He's sleeping in the other room…?"

Akeno answers with a bewildered expression when the question was suddenly brought.

Then Rias presses her with another question,

"Did you place a barrier around the room?"

"….No, I didn't think it was necessary since all of us are here."

"…Oh no."

Rias' eyes grows wide as her face suddenly becames pale.

The temperature on her face starts to drop dramatically.

Earlier, she asked Akeno about the barrier not because she wanted to keep intruders out.

She had wanted to keep 'him' in.

Then Yuuto bursts in through the door of the room. With panic swarmed in his eyes, he brings Rias news that confirmed her fears,

"Buchou, this isn't good…! Kamito-kun…Kamito-kun is missing!"

**Part 4**

"Haa…"

It was already noon.

As Kamito clutches onto his face with his hand, murmuring aloud with a powerless voice.

"I….did not think this through."

The wound on his eyes had closed up and it no longer bled when he opened them.

However, his vision has yet to completely return.

His once-piercing dark eyes now looked dull and hollow, like a thick dark mist lodged in his irises.

He regains his ability to perceive light and colors; however, all he could see were undetailed masses of colors to describe his surroundings.

His vision has become hazy. He couldn't focus on anything nor could he describe his surroundings as anymore than a blur.

After running into a few walls, tripping on a few breaks on the streets and almost getting run over a few times while crossing a red light, Kamito sits on a bench in a children's park while making a sigh.

He is certain that he is in a children's park because he had fell into a sandbox earlier and ran into a metal pole until finally finding a place to sit.

Kamito skipped school today, since he wouldn't be able to read his textbook in his condition anyways.

His plans are being hindered greatly by his lack of vision.

His plans being to find and rescue Asia as soon as possible.

For that, he feigned sleep and waited patiently for Akeno to leave after treating his eyes, escaping through the window and making a run for it before anyone else could come in and catch him.

To ensure, that he wasn't caught, he purposely brought his own demonic power down to a level so weak where someone of even Akeno's caliber could not easily detect it.

During assassinations, he often had to employ techniques like this to kill his own presence when he is trying to kill his targets, especially when dealing with Devils with high-sensory abilities.

He felt bad for doing something like this to Rias and the others but found no other way.

He is fully aware that it is impossible for Rias and the others to save Asia and he couldn't do it without causing trouble to them.

So, for the time being, Kamito chose to cut his ties with his master and act independently from her, without her knowledge.

Rias could not be held responsible for the actions of a stray servant.

Kamito believes this and feels that by taking it all upon himself, he'll be able to save Asia without bringing any harm to Rias and the others.

"That was the plan…But this is going to be tough."

Resting on his knees, Kamito lets out a heavy sigh while clutching his scarred eyes.

Should he regain his eyesight then he'd feel a lot more confident about his do-or-die plan.

(How on earth am I going to save Asia? More importantly, does she even want to be saved?)

Kamito shakes those negative thoughts out of his head,

(No, whether she wants to be saved or not, I promised her that I would.)

It may just be his ego talking but he definitely wants to keep the promise he made to Asia.

And honestly, he didn't feel comfortable with leaving Asia alone with the crazed priest, Freed who is willing to hit her.

Dealing with the priest alone is going to be trouble and then he'll fight his way through Fallen Angels on top of it.

Asking assistance from Rias or the others was out of the question.

Kamito had to do this alone, to avoid bringing misfortune on the others.

Yes, he would likely have to become a Stray Devil if that's what it took.

Kamito had confidence that he could be able to do it with careful planning or preparation.

The main problem exists with his eyes.

As of now, fighting without the use of his eyesight is similar to playing Russian roulette.

While thinking all these complicated thoughts, Kamito lifts his head up and a gold color enters his distorted vision.

A blonde haired girl stands before him. She noticed him sooner than he noticed her.

"….Kamito-san?"

"…Asia?"

He did not think he would her voice calling out his name so soon.

**Part 5**

Asia immediately cups her hands above Kamito's head, emitting an emerald-green light that wraps around his face.

The light had a warm and soothing feel to it.

He can feel Asia's warmth beam down on his face with gentle feeling. It was as if her kindness is within that light.

Then light begins to return from the depths of his eyes.

As if Asia's healing light re-lit the spark within, a sharp lustre emerges and restores the clarity his eyes, returning his vision.

Kamito sat there in awe as his surroundings suddenly cleared up and his sight re-focused.

He can now make it even the slightest details of everything he saw once again.

A healing light that could even restore his temporary blindness-

-To simply say 'Amazing' wouldn't come close to expressing Kamito's honest feelings.

He raises his head and stares up at the cute blonde sister that restores his eyesight with silent gratitude in his eyes.

This could be a little ironic since he was a devil but it felt like at that moment, an angel had descended upon him and graced him with her radiance.

"Your ability really is amazing. The pain has completely disappeared. Thanks to you, my eyes are healed. Thank you."

Kamito rubs his eyelids and blinked a few times, amazed at the results.

His eyes were completely fixed and his vision was restored, as if last night's events never happened.

Despite his honest words, Asia shakes her head with a small smile on her face.

"No, it's the least that I could do. Had Kamito-san not protected me then…."

Her voice slowly died into silence. Averting her eyes towards the ground, she lowered her head with a guilt-ridden look on her face.

She spoke with a fragile, trembling voice,

"…It's my fault that Kamito-san got hurt like he did. Because of me, Kamito-san suffered a lot of pain. If I wasn't there, Kamito-san would've been okay. I…."

Her tiny shoulders kept shivering and her whole body looked so fragile.

Despair had stricken her innocent face and her moist, emotional eyes were on the verge of spilling tears.

At the sight of such a kind-hearted girl looking so ruined before his eyes, Kamito can only feel sympathy.

"Asia…."

He whispers her name lightly with understanding in his tone.

Even though she had it far worse than anyone else, she showed more concern to others and even him, a Devil, than she showed for herself.

Truly, she is a Saint: always so kind, gentle and selfless.

A sweet, innocent girl at heart with a soul even purer than an angel; she could be a Goddess worth worshipping.

That's why in Kamito's heart, he felt only a silent anger and pity for the girl's situation.

But he did not try to express it.

Because no matter how much anger he felt, he wanted to see the girl smile more than anything else.

He slowly reaches for the girl's face that was about to cry with both his hands-

-And began pulling on her cheeks.

"Wha, Whaf arf fou foing? (What are you doing?)"

Asia tries to speak while her mouth was stretching out wide. Her eyes dart a quick glance to her left and right where Kamito's fingers were lightly clamped onto her soft cheeks.

While lightly tugging on her white, adorable cheeks, Kamito lets out a light whistle from his nose.

"Hmm, I was wondering this ever since we met but…Asia, you have some pretty soft cheeks, don't you? It feels like I'm pinching a baby's bottom."

"Whatf fare youf safing?! (What are you saying?!)"

A small grin grew on Kamito's face as a fun idea hatches into his mind.

"Alright, Asia. Let's see what kind of funny faces you could make just from pulling on your cheeks, okay?"

"…Fuah?"

Kamito puts a bit more strength in as he pulls on Asia's face even harder, forcing the girl up on her toes.

"OwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOw! P-Pleasf Sfop! Kamifo-san! If huwfs! If huwfs. (Please Stop! Kamito-san! It hurts! It hurts!)"

Asia squeaks while flailing her arms wildly at her sides.

Kamito pretended not to listen and began pulling her cheeks around.

He pulled her cheeks out for starters.

Then he pulls them up until her mouth formed a funny grin.

He pulls them down for a hilarious frown.

Finally, he pushes her cheeks in until her face resembles a blowfish.

Kamito couldn't resist laughing at the last one.

"Ahahaha, that was fun."

With a light laughter coming out of him, Kamito lets go of the girl's cheeks to wipe the tear squeezed out from under his eye.

Asia glares at Kamito with a pouty face. Her eyes were now tearing up for a completely different reason and her hands cupped her face as she lightly rubs her red, swollen cheeks.

"Mou…Kamito-san is being a bully again…."

Asia's cheeks pout, causing her face to bloat even more. Despite her glare, she looked more like she was about to cry then get angry.

In the face of her glare, Kamito simply waves his hand off with a simple smile on his face.

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist. Anyways, do you feel better now?"

"….Eh?"

When asked that strange question, All Asia could do was let out a short, meek sound.

Kamito puts a hand on his hip and says simply,

"Your down-and-depressed demeanor wasn't easy for me to look at so I thought I'd play around with your face until I found something cuter. As I thought though, you natural face is the best one."

Against the straightforward compliment flown smoothly from the boy's lips, Asia's face couldn't help but turn red.

**Part 6**

"...Auu."

Kamito had never seen such a thing before: a Sister getting confused in front of the register.

Even Kamito, with his limited knowledge towards normal society knew how to order food at a fast food restaurant.

"W-What would you like to order…?"

Even the employee doesn't know how to handle this situation.

It was lunchtime and as thanks for healing his eyes, Kamito decided to take the girl out to a fast food restaurant at the business district.

It wasn't too hard finding one since there was always at least one at every block.

It seems like Asia had never come to this kind of place before, so she is having a hard time choosing her meal.

"Are...you going to be okay?"

Kamito gently whispers to her ear but she said proudly, "It's fine, I will manage it somehow" and he's been watching her struggle ever since.

(...Oh right, she can't speak Japanese.)

Kamito just remembered that. The Devil's Translate ability tends to make him forget those kinds of little facts.

This could mean this would take a while if he didn't do anything.

"Sorry. She will have the same order as me."

"Okay."

The employee takes the order. Asia on the other hand is shocked.

"Auu, I'm ashamed. I can't even buy a single hamburger by myself…"

"It can't be helped, if you can't speak Japanese."

Kamito and Asia took an empty table as soon as they gotten their meals.

As they moved through the restaurant, a lot of the male customers turned their heads as Asia walks by.

Such a thing should be natural. Not only does she stand out as a nun, she is quite cute.

Any guy would turn their heads just to look at her.

Kamito and Asia sat opposite of one another. Kamito picks up his burger but Asia on the other hand, just stares at the wrapped burger without even touching it.

(Don't tell me she doesn't know how to eat it?)

This girl was more sheltered than he is, and that alone was saying something.

"Hey, Princess. You can eat it just by pulling the wrapper like this."

Kamito unwraps the burger and shows it towards Asia.

"T-There's actually a way to eat like that!? A-Amazing!"

He had never seen a girl get so excited over unwrapping a burger before.

For Kamito, that alone is a new experience.

"You also eat the fries like this."

He cannot believe he is actually teaching someone about how to eat fast food.

While popping fries in his mouth, he laments about how silly he must look.

"Oh my!"

Asia stares at him, eating fries with keen eyes.

Her reactions are making him feel even more silly.

"You can also eat, if you want."

"Y-Yes."

She mimics Kamito, pulling out the burger from her wrapper and takes a small bite.

"D-Delicious! This burger is very delicious!"

The girl starts eating it with shining eyes.

She is cute as she eats the burger but Kamito is slightly troubled at her reactions.

"You never ate a burger before?"

"No. I have seen it often on television, but it's my first time eating it. I'm moved! It's delicious!"

"Oh. So what do you normally eat?"

"Mainly bread and soup. I also eat vegetable and pasta food."

"Huh, that's pretty humane."

It seems her life wasn't all bad at one point. The food was simple but at least was food.

Back at the Instructional School, Kamito was only given supplements, vitamins and all forms of supplements during his assassin training.

The idea behind that was to gain the nutrients and energy in order to sustain the body through the rigurous training.

He only started eating food when the school was destroyed.

"Well then, make sure you eat it carefully so you remember the taste."

"Yes. I will eat it with joy."

Asia starts eating it deliciously but Kamito can't help but visibly show concern for her.

She claims that she has time off but it was clear that she was running away from something.

When they met, she seemed so relieved.

Kamito didn't say anything about it though. He didn't want to worry her with such scary topics.

So he decided to wait until she felt comfortable talking to him.

Kamito had no qualms helping out with whatever trouble she may have. He feels that he owes her this much.

This could go against Rias' orders though.

It feels like Kamito is slowly treading the path of becoming a Stray Devil.

(...Well, so long as she is enjoying herself, I suppose it's fine.)

Kamito shrugs his shoulders while shaking away the irritating thoughts.

Kamito didn't really care if he was a stray or not. In fact, he doesn't care about himself at all.

He didn't want to make her depressed after what happened the other night.

(Yeah, that's it. Just for today, let's forget about everything.)

Just let the girl enjoy herself for once. Worry about everything afterwards.

Come to think of it, it counts as a day off for Kamito as well.

The first one he's taken ever since joining Rias Gremory.

"Asia."

"Y-Yes."

"Let's have some fun for now."

"Eh?"

"Let's go to the game centre."

One time, Issei had taken Kamito out to an arcade one time and frankly, the experience was certainly colorful.

Whether it was the bright-colored games, the toy machines or the photo booths, Kamito was definitely filled with intrigue upon entering such a lively place.

He never got the chance to try everything that one time so he wanted to use today as an oppurtunity to try the games he hasn't played yet.

The first was a fighting game. Kamito particularly wanted to try this kind of game upon watching Issei, Motohama and Matsuda play a few rounds with each other one time.

Apparently, those three went to all the game centres in town before Issei joined the Occult Research Club. Since Kamito did not know the rules of the game, he simply sat back and watch the others play.

From those observations, he gained a general idea as to how the game worked.

"Let's see...four buttons to attack and a stick to move your character...I think I got this."

The fighting game consisted of characters and a setting from some kind of sci-fi fantasy. He chose a character that wielded twin swords because it felt right with him.

He quickly scrolls through the commands and combos and sure enough, Kamito makes an amazing discovery.

He had an amazing gift for fighting games.

It could be either because he memorized the combo's, or can easily predict the moves of his opponents and understand their fight patterns or most likely, he already had over ten years of fighting experience but he easily fights through opponent after opponent without even once losing a round.

The rest is simply coordinating the controls with his character.

"Strong, you're so strong, Kamito-san!"

"I'm just as surprised you are..."

He beats his last opponent and after inputting his initials, he finds them at the top of the rankings.

"Wow...Well, that was fun...Asia?"

He seems to have lost sight of Asia.

Looking around the arcade, he finds her standing in front of the crane game.

He casually sneaks up on her from behind and places his head just over her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Hau! N-No… I-It's nothing."

Asia tries to hide it but her eyes had a longing towards what was on the other side of the thin wall of glass.

"Is there something you want?"

Kamito peers through the glass. Inside the game, there is a doll of a cute mascot based on a mouse.

It is a character that came from Japan but became popular worldwide. Even Kamito had seen it once or twice when he was in Europe for training. This was how Asia knew about the toy.

It's called a "Rache-kun" doll.

"Asia, do you want that toy?"

"Eh? N-No, t-that is…"

Asia's face gets red, and she nods her head shyly.

Kamito simply smiles softly with a light 'Yare Yare' coming out of his mouth.

"Alright, I'll get it for you."

"Eh? B-But...!"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Despite his confidence, this was the first time, he's actually played this game.

Part of him gulps as he opens up his wallet and begins dropping coins in.

Fifteen times. That was how many times, he's played.

The first five was simply for Kamito to understand how the game works and develop a strategy to how to drop one of the toys into the slot.

The next ten, he actually tried his best sadly.

He decides to focus on a particular toy, bringing it closer to him slowly and slowly with each time he dropped money into the machine.

On four of those tries, he completely missed. On five, he managed to bring it closer and closer to him. In the last one, he finally got it.

Rather than feel victorious, Kamito groans at how suddenly light his wallet has become.

"Ah...I see...The world of 'Arcades' has no mercy, it seems. I've never seen such a place that could eat away at your money so fast...!"

Kamito makes that terrifying revelation too late and he takes the Rache-kun doll that he just dropped with tears in his eyes.

To him, who once had to survive with the scraps of change he could gather just to survive, wasting away money like this would understandably cause him to cry a little on the inside.

But he wipes the tears away for Asia's sake.

"Here you go, Asia."

"Thank you very much, Kamito-san. I will take care of this doll."

Asia became so happy that she held the doll to her chest. Somehow, the smile she wore alone made all the coins he wasted and tears he poured out for it worth it. Yes. Every. Last. Yen.

He had to tell himself that repeatedly though in his mind in order to convince him.

"If that doll makes you happy, I'll get you another one next time."

Asia simply shakes her head.

"No, this Rache-kun that you gave me represents the wonderful day I met you. Since today is the only day I met you, I will take good care of this doll."

The way she said it so naturally, it brought a smile to Kamito's face.

Normally, not many girls could be this considerate.

Then again, he can hardly consider Asia, or rather anyone he seems to meet, as just an 'ordinary girl'.

Yes, like everyone else, this girl had extraordinary circumstances.

Perhaps, that's why he wanted to spoil her a little.

And so, Kamito's hand moves towards her head.

"I see...You're a good girl, aren't you?"

Kamito lightly pats the girl's head, causing her face to flush red shyly.

Somehow, she always looks so happy when Kamito rubs her head.

She buries her face into her toy deeper while trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Alright, let's go, Asia. We got plenty of things that I want to show you before the day's over. Let's go."

"Y-Yes!"

He takes the girl's hands and went on to try just about every game they had in the arcade.

**Part 6**

"Ah, that was fun."

"Y-Yes…I'm a bit tired…"

The two lets out while walking through the street.

It was already the late evening and it started to get dark.

It had been a long time since Kamito enjoyed himself this much.

He can't even remember the last time he leisurely enjoyed the day like this.

Both he and Asia ended up getting tired

He had fun watching Asia's reactions as she went through the game centre and plenty of other shops.

It was a new experience for Kamito as well.

In essence, he truly did enjoy a fun time with Asia today.

But all fun things came to an end, and he couldn't spoil that girl anymore.

"Asia, I've been meaning to ask. That healing power you have, it's a Sacred Gear, isn't it?"

Asia looks at Kamito with wide eyes, utterly stupefied.

"Kamito-san! You know about Sacred Gears!?"

"I'm a Devil, of course I do. Do you remember the black sword I used? That's part of my Sacred Gear, you know?"

Asia puts on a shocked face upong hearing that.

"Kamito-san, you also have a Sacred Gear? I didn't realise it at all."

"Well, I suppose I didn't really do any fancy tricks with my sword so you really couldn't tell thtat it was a Sacred Gear. At any rate, mine is nothing compared to yours. To be able to heal humans, animals and even Devils like me. Your power really is amazing."

Although Kamito had good intentions and he sincerely complimented her abilities, Asia puts on a complicated expression which then became a sad face.

Soon after, a single drop of tear falls from her eyes.

Then, more tears starts flowing out from her eyes.

She then got down and starts to cry.

Realizing his mistake just now, Kamito took the girl to a spot where they could sit.

They sat on the bench on the roadside.

Then, she told Kamito a story about the girl who once called the "Holy Maiden".

In a certain region in Europe, there was a girl who was discarded by her parents.

She was raised in a Church nearby by a nun along with other orphans.

The girl who was a strong follower of the Church received a special power at the age of 8.

She healed a wounded puppy, and a person from the Catholic Church witnessed it by chance.

From there on, her life changed.

The girl was taken to the main Catholic Church and she was symbolised by many as a "Holy Maiden" because of her healing power.

She used her power to heal many believers and they were told it was a power of divine protection.

Rumours brought rumours and she was respected as a "Holy Maiden".

Even without her approval.

She had no dissatisfaction for how she was treated. People from the Church were kind and she didn't hate healing people.

She instead was happy that her power was of use.

The girl was thankful to her power which was bestowed to her by God.

But she was a bit lonely.

She didn't have any friends she could open up to.

Everyone treated her nicely and was nice to her. But there were no one willing to become her friend.

She understood why.

She knew that they were looking at her power as something irregular.

They didn't look at her as a human but as a creature that could heal humans.

But one day, it changed.

By coincidence, there was a Devil nearby and she healed it.

A wounded Devil. The girl couldn't ignore it.

She thought that even if it was a Devil, she had to heal it if it was injured.

It was her kindness that made her take such an action.

But that changed her life forever.

One of the people from the Church saw that incident and notified others of the Church.

The ministers of the Church were shocked about it.

"A power that can heal Devils!?"

"Something absurd like that cannot happen!"

"The power of healing can only heal the followers of God!"

Yes, there were several people who had the power to heal.

But the power to heal the Devil was out of the question. The people of the Church thought it was common sense that the power of healing doesn't work on Fallen Angels and Devils.

Apparently, a similar incident had happened in the past.

The power to heal Fallen Angels and Devils that were not protected by God. But that was feared as the power of a "Witch".

So the people saw her as a heretic.

"Damn witch that heals Devils!"

The girl who was respected as a Holy Maiden was then feared as a "Witch" and the Catholic Church abandoned her.

She didn't have anywhere to go and the organisation of "Stray Exorcists" picked her up.

In other words, she had to get divine protection from the Fallen Angels.

But the girl never forgot to pray to God. She also never forgot to thank God.

Even so, the girl was abandoned.

God didn't save her.

What shocked her the most was that there was not even a single person in the Church that was willing to defend her.

There was no one who cared about her.

"…It's because I didn't pray enough. It's because I'm clumsy. I'm so stupid that I can't even eat a burger by myself."

The girl, Asia, wipes her tears while laughing.

Kamito didn't say anything to comfort her. He didn't know what he could say that didn't sound like empty pity.

This was the curse that all Sacred Gear users had to bear. He knew that. He was aware that this girl had her own scars to bear.

But he didn't want to believe that it could be actually true.

A power to heal, should be praised, shouldn't it? Not condemned.

Kamito lowers his head, hiding the expression in his eyes underneath the shadows of his bangs.

Kamito takes deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

He had to endure. For the girl's sake, he couldn't show any anger or sadness, because it would only make the girl feel worse.

So he sat there quietly, silently enduring the tight pain in his chest, while listening to the girl's story.

"This is also a trial that the lord gave me. Since I'm a clumsy nun, the lord gave me this trial. So I have to endure it."

She was laughing as if she was talking to herself.

Kamito's shoulders began to tremble and he kept his shaking lips shut tight.

"I'm sure I will make lots of friends one day. I have a dream. I want to go buy flowers with a friend, buying books and…talk…"

She is full of tears.

All this time, she had been enduring it. All this time, she had been all alone.

She has been waiting for God to save her the whole time and has been hiding her feelings all along.

The more she spoke, the more he admired her devotion and the more he condemned God.

For a long time, he had forsaken the very existence of God.

Rather, he didn't believe in God in the first place.

He never once prayed to a superficial God even once while he was stuck in the Instructional School, because he knew if he existed, the school wouldn't be around to begin with.

But it did exist, and with that, Kamito saw how cruel and merciless the world really is. How God's prayers only gave you nothing more than false hope and empty faith.

Even though she worshiped him, longed for him, and respected him more than anyone else, God did not try to save her.

That's because there was no God to answer her faith to begin with. And if there was no God, then what has this girl been doing with her whole life until now? What is the point of her even having the Sacred Gear? Why do they exist?

These questions kept going through Kamito's mind.

Kamito firmly believes that but he couldn't tell Asia those thoughts. Those words would only stab into her heart like a cold steel knife.

At the same time, he could not agree with the life that this girl was forced to live.

Living as a mere tool for the benefits of others and tossed away when deemed fit by others.

Just what kind of people were so arrogant and hypocrtitical to rever a little girl as a "Holy Maiden' then call her a 'Witch' at the drop of a hat?

Kamito's anger could only be directed at the selfish people who forces such a sweet little girl to play the role they decided for her and toss her aside when she no longer proved useful, all for the sake of their 'devotion to God'.

Their devotion was nothing more than a form of self-righteous hypocricy, suiting their own needs and masking it as part of their beliefs towards God just to justify that selfishness.

Kamito has dealt with kind of people himself and as such, he truly sympathises with Asia's past and suffering.

And perhaps because she told him everything about her past, Kamito felt that it would be too cruel if he just kept silence.

"Hey, Asia...Can I tell you a story that I have?"

Kamito looks directly at her eyes which is wet with tears.

"A-A story...?"

Asia gasps between sobs as her tears slowly came to a halt.

Kamito nods his head with a neutral expression and without taking his eyes off her, he told her the story.

There is a boy who grew up, never knowing who his parents were. Did they abandon him or did they die when he was just a baby?

He couldn't tell which if either is the case.

One day, he is taken in by an Orphanage.

But it was no ordinary orphanage.

It was a school dedicated towards engineering orphans like the boy into becoming assassins.

Created by Fallen Angels and exiled heretics from the Church, the school was established for the purpose of manufacturing disposable soldiers to be used for assassinations against Devils, Angels and against just about anyone that had been declared a target.

The boy was raised up to become an emotionless tool for slaughter.

Through harsh training, inhumane experiments and cruel treatments, the boy was raised up into becoming nothing more than a killing machine.

The sorrows, joys, and various wonderful things that filled the world, he had learned nothing about that.

His life had none of the joys or even the sorrows that normal people took for granted.

The closest thing the boy's ever been to a festival is the 'Festival of the Death Dance' and the ' Festival of Blood Splattering Battles'. Even then, they were festivals dedicated to having assassins-in-training hone their skills by killing each other.

Many times, the boy was forced to slaughter his own fellow colleagues in cold blood, or risk being killed by them himself.

The boy was taught nothing more than how to fight and kill.

Used by the Fallen Angels to slaughter their enemies and used by Church Heretics to simply eliminate the people they did not like, the boy simply kept killing and killing without asking questions, acting more as simply as a machine than a human being.

To him, killing was as second nature as breathing. Not a day would go by, where he didn't have someone else's blood on his face.

Then one day, the school was destroyed.

It had been decided that the facility is to be shut down, by the very people who established it.

Their reason for doing so was fear. Afraid that their own weapons were to be used against them, they destroyed the school and massacred all the orphans they've gathered and trained, disposing of them like yesterday's trash.

However, a few survivors manage to escape that purge. The boy was one of them.

To be trained to be a killing machine then thrown away by the very people who raised him to be as such, the boy had every reason to bear a grudge, even curse the people who twisted his life for their own selfish purposes.

However, his emotions at the time were non-existent, so he felt absolutely nothing towards the group who betrayed him. He only thought about how to survive now that the school was destroyed.

Yes, he had to survive. That's all that matters. He needed to keep on living because...

...To be honest, he had no reason to live. He wasn't even alive to begin with. He simply 'existed', living day-to-day through the motions of life like he was a zombie.

He was simply an 'empty' existence who had no one to live for, nothing to fight for and no home to return to.

Even then, he didn't want to die.

He did what he could to survive and since the only thing he knew was fighting, he hired himself out as a hitman, a Devil Killer.

People often doubted his abilities due to his age, so he often proved himself by killing more people.

Then he killed even more people.

He killed more of them and he just kept killing them.

For a high price, he killed any Devil that is required of him.

It didn't matter who his client was or who his target was, so long as he was rewarded the money he needed to keep himself fed, he would kill anyone indisciminately.

Whether it was women, children or Devils with good heart's, he would assassinate any of them without hesitation.

Without mercy or even kindness, the boy simply went on killing, because it was the only thing he knew how to do.

No matter how much scorn, hatred and contempt he would get from his victim's loved ones, he would continue on this life, knowing no other way.

Then, as a twist of fate, the boy comes across a unique Devil. She is a little girl, looking no older than he is, and like always, the boy was tasked with assassinating her, just like all the rest.

He had almost succeeded and at the time, he was certain that he was as likely to kill as her as he is to spare her.

But in the end, he didn't carry through as the girl gave him the strangest counter-offer.

"Be my servant."

That's what the girl said.

And the boy accepted.

His reason? He didn't had one.

Whether he accepted her hand or not, he would've been left a pawn at the mercy of another. So it made no difference whether he joined the girl or not.

Instead, he was intrigued. He had tried to kill the girl and despite all that, she asked him something like that?

She had every reason to have him taken away, if not executed for his crimes against her.

And yet, rather than punish him, she decided to accept the boy into her circle.

At first, he was suspicious. It's definitely a trap, he thought. But he saw no other choice.

If he refused, he would be executed on the spot. If he accepted and it turned out to be a trap to lower his guard, he would still get killed.

Whatever path he chosen, death is the only answer. So, he simply decided...

-Choose the path that lets you live longer.

He accepted the girl's offer and before he knew it, everything changed for him.

That boy whose life was changed forever on that day was Kazehaya Kamito.

"It's ironic, isn't it? I, who was raised to kill Devils, would become a Devil himself. I suppose this is just my time in hell, I suppose."

Kamito smiles bitterly and his eyes had a sad expression. That smile would then fade as he somberly stares up at the sky.

"How many Devils, Angels, or even humans have I killed? I lost track a long time ago. Who knows how many people have been hurt because of me. How many have grieved? How many have suffered? I...just don't know."

Kamito lowers his head towards the ground. Staring at his feet, there was a turmoil in his eyes that was slowly killing him on the inside.

Even then, he barely tries to smile for Asia, who simply sat there completely frozen with a shocked expression.

Kamito takes a peek at her eyes glazed with horror and smiles bitterly,

"I guess you must be afraid of me, huh? I don't blame you...Asia, I...I'm not the good person you think I am. Someone like me...cannot possibly be a good person."

"Kamito-san..."

Asia whispers his name sympathetically. Her eyes gaped wide, tears began pouring down her cheeks.

Indeed, she is afraid. But not of Kamito.

She is afraid of the hatred Kamito has towards himself and she was afraid of the scars he carried in his heart.

Everytime she called him a good person, his heart must've been ripped out of his chest each time she said it.

She felt like a witch.

She had only thought of herself, pouring her heart to him without considering his feelings.

She wanted someone to know and understand her.

She felt that Kamito could be that person she sought.

However, she never once thought about trying to understand him.

Since he always looked at Asia with kind eyes, she never imagined he carried such a terrifying past.

She never knew and he still continues to be so kind to her.

Asia hated herself just a little for her ignorance. He was so considerate for her and yet she never noticed.

She felt terrible.

"Kamito-san...Why did you tell me all this?"

"Why, huh?"

Kamito raises his head and leans back on his bench. With a whimsical expression, he answers,

"I guess, I thought it wouldn't be fair when it's just you telling me about your past."

"I see..."

Asia somewhat expected an answer like that from him. As she thought, her image of him hasn't changed. Even learning of his past, that did not change how she viewed him.

"Kamito-san...You really are a good person, aren't you?"

Asia can say that with a sincere smile on her face.

Kamito simply laughs deprecatingly at himself.

"Haha, you really are a strange one, aren't you?"

His eyes became more firm and serious as looks firmly into Asia's eyes.

"Asia, if you want, we can be friends."

Asia stands there. Her face suddenly becomes puzzled.

"Even though I'm a Devil, I will be your friend. If you want someone to talk to, someone to play with or just someone to be there for you, or someone to tease you, I'll be there and I won't ask for anything."

"...Why?"

"Why, huh? A funny question to ask, isn't it? I'm doing this simply because I want to. I want to be your friend, Asia. We had a lot of fun today, didn't we? I want to have more fun days with you just like this. After all, I made a promise with you, right?"

"…Is that a pact with a Devil?"

"You don't need to put it so antagonistically. This isn't a pact by the Devil. In fact, gods, Devils, Angels, and humans, none of that applies here. I'll be your friend simply because it's the only thing I can do for you. Although, I hope you don't mind having a person as scary as me as your friend."

Kamito wears a self-deprecating smile while lightly laughing to himself.

But Asia put her hand on her mouth, and once again starts to shed tears.

Though, this time, her tears didn't seem sad.

"...Kamito-san. I hae no common sense."

"Yeah, I figured that out already. No problem though, we could always teach you these things a little at a time. You'll definitely learn in due time."

"…I can't speak Japanese. I also don't know about its culture."

"Yeah, I know that too. I can teach you the language if you want and have you learn everything there is about Japan. I promise you. Just leave it to me."

"I also don't know what to talk about with a friend."

Kamito held Asia's hand firmly.

"We talked all day, didn't we? I think you know how to talk to a friend just fine."

"...Will you become my friend?"

"What are you talking about? We already are."

The girl nods her head and smiles.

Kamito then lightly caresses her head in the same manner she always liked.

Smiling meekly to herself, Asia's cheeks turned bright red while enjoying Kamito's hand on her head.

Kamito enjoyed seeing that smile on her face. The smile of her pure, innocent girl.

If he can go from a man that slays Devil to a Devil himself, then he is confident that humans and Devils can become friends.

"I will definitely protect you, Asia. No matter what, I will always come to save you."

"It's impossible."

A voice rejects Kamito's ideals.

Kamito recognizes that cold, malicious tone anywhere.

Immediately shifting his body in the same direction as they voice, Kamito glares fiercely while standing in front of Asia to protect her.

A person that he is more than familiar with was standing in front of him.

A slender girl with silky black hair and a tight black revealing leather outfit all over her.

"Raynare..."

Kamito hisses her name out with great hositility.

The girl who was once the girlfriend of Hyoudou Issei and more importantly, a Fallen Angel tied to the Instructional School that Kamito came from.

She laughs of amusement upon hearing Kamito's fierce voice.

"Heh. To think the Instructional School would have a survivor all this time. Seriously, this is the worst."

Despite that, she didn't seem all that concerned. She kept speaking the pompous voice of a bewitching adult.

"…Raynare-sama…"

Asia trembles upon speaking that name. She hid behind Kamito's back, peeking just above his shoulder towards the black-haired Fallen Angel.

With a firm stance against his foe, Kamito stands steadfast between Asia and Raynare, keeping Asia behind his back to ensure her safety.

"Tell me, what exactly do you want, Fallen Angel?"

She sneers and puts on a mocking laugh,

"Oh, how you have fallen, Kazehaya Kamito. You were once the best Devil Killer we've ever created, now you're just a filthy low-class Devil that doesn't even have the right to speak to someone like me."

She glares at Kamito like he was just a disgusting bug she wanted to crush with her heel.

"That girl. Asia, is our personal belonging. Can I have her back? Asia, you know it's useless to run away?"

(She tried to run away…?)

That act hardly surprised him. If he were her, he'd probably do the same thing.

"…No. I don't want to return to that Church. I don't want to return to the people who kill other people. …Also, you people did things to me…"

Asia replies back with disgust.

"Please don't say that, Asia. Your Sacred Gear is essential for our plan. So please come back with me? I also took the time to look for you. Don't make trouble for me."

Raynare approaches them with her heels lightly making ominous taps against the ground.

Asia sinks her profile deeper behind Kamito's back.

Her body is shaking with fear.

Kamito stepped forward while pulling his black glove off from his left hand, showing off the magic circle engraved on the face.

"The girl doesn't want to go with you, and I don't plan to give her to you so easily. Just what are your plans with this girl, Raynare?"

"Low-class Devil, don't call me by my name. My name will get filthy. What's between us doesn't have anything to do with you. If you don't go back to your master's place quickly, you will die, you know?"

Raynare gathers light in her hand, which took the form of a spear.

One hit from that could be dangerous. As such, Kamito had to make the first move.

"I won't die if I kill you first…!"

Vorpal Sword immediately materialized with the flash of his magic circle and grabbing hold of the blade, Kamito kicks off the ground for a straightforward charge at breakneck speed.

He aimed his sword to the girl's thoughts, intending to finish her in a single strike. A trail of dust picks and scatters behind him as his feet cut through the ground.

Despite the obvious lethal intent behind his attack, Raynare did not flinch nor did she even bat an eye towards him.

She had a condescending gaze as she looked at Kamito as nothing more than a harmless insect.

A dark smile then surfaced on her face and as her lips wiggled, she lets out a single word.

"Euthanasia."

Her lips let out a strange sound, and upon hearing it, a pulse throbbed in the core of Kamito's brain.

A stab of pain briefly ran through his mind, giving a jolt to every nerve in his body.

Both his body and mind suddenly froze up in the midst of his running posture with his sword gripped in a thrusting stance in his unmoving arm.

As if his entire body had become a marble sculpture, he couldn't even budge even an inch.

Then as his own muscles began to shut itself down, Kamito fell face-first into the ground, his mouth first tasting the dirt gathered on the floor in front of him. His hand still gripped onto his sword; rather, his fingers simply remained locked around the blade.

He lies on his stomach, helplessly on the ground. Even moving his neck was impossible.

(Wha-What's going on!?)

He can still maintain his thoughts and consciousness. His heart still beats.

However, no matter how many times he tries, he couldn't move his body. His body couldn't even struggle to move as he simply lays there motionlessly like a corpse.

For Kamito, who once mastered his own body control down to the smallest nerve, this was impossible unless there was a proper explanation behind it.

He couldn't explain this.

He was not struck a fatal wound nor was his mind so paralyzed with pain that his body couldn't handle it.

He simply stopped moving.

He couldn't even feel pain and it felt like his mind was ejected from his own body.

His arms, legs, and even neck stopped responding as if suddenly had just pulled the cord out of an animatronic toy.

He just completely shuts down.

"Hoh? So even after seven years, that command still works? They did really a good job with the hypnosis there, didn't they?"

"C-Command? What the hell are you talking about?"

Recovering the function to speak, Kamito snaps back at Raynare.

Raynare starts to laugh.

"You have no idea, do you?! Of course, you didn't. Like anyone would ever tell a disposable pawn like you about the fail-safe command installed into your brain."

"F-Fail-safe?"

The Fallen Angel starts to laugh as if she found it amusing.

"It took me some time to look through the old records of the [Instructional School] to figure it out myself. Basically, the directors installed a special brand of hypnosis into the brains of you and the other worthless rejects that would trigger whenever the phrase 'Euthanasia' is said aloud through a Fallen Angel's vocal chords. We programmed it into your brains as a contingency plan should an assassin ever be used against us and prove too powerful to destroy through ordinary means. It was designed to shut down the target's body for a full 3 minutes. Once the time limit is up, there is a wait-time of one hour before we could use it again. Honestly, I thought you would've removed that hypnosis by now, but I suppose not. Originally, it was implanted as a means of disciplining them and as annoying as the restrictions are, 3 minutes of plenty of time for me to cut off your head."

Kamito grits his teeth, eyes seething with frustration as he kept cursing his own mind.

He had no idea.

He had no idea such a trap existed in his own mind.

He knew he went through a lot of hypnosis when at the [Instructional School] but a lot of it was meant to kill off his own emotions and sense of identity. He never imagined they implanted a trap in it as well.

The trap was never used back when the school was destroyed likely because no one ever thought it was necessary to use it since they were killing helpless children, that are why Kamito was never aware of it.

If he had known, he would've sought assistance from Rias or Akeno to have it removed but now…!

"Kuh…! Damnit…!"

Kamito spits those words out and can hear Raynare guffawing right above him, unable to control herself.

"Hahaha, I honestly thought you were dangerous and could disrupt our plans but to think you can be taken down so easily! It's simply hilarious! I cannot believe that I ever thought you were a threat! Now, you're nothing more than a filthy low-class Devil not even worth my time!"

Kamito grits his teeth, enduring the verbal beating while Raynare continued to laugh mockingly at him.

This wasn't good!

Kamito couldn't move, let alone run away.

He had to tell Asia to run off, but where could she go?

The school? No, that will cause trouble for Rias.

Home? Issei's parents could be in danger.

That's just it, there's nowhere. Nowhere for her to run and the boy had no strength to fight.

(No! Calm down…! There's gotta be something I can do…!)

No matter what, Kamito is determined to keep his promise. He is going to protect Asia.

Raynare tosses her spear of light, easily stabbing through the back of the immobile Kamito as he laid there to take it.

He can feel the force of the spear that buried into his back exit out his stomach.

"That was too easy. Almost like hunting rabbits."

Raynare sighed with a bored expression.

The light that struck Kamito is poisonous and a fatal strike to the stomach would slowly kill him.

The wound around the spear of light sticking out of his back slowly began to bubble and boil around the blood-soaked regions.

Intense pain and certain death should've followed after but it never came.

A green light began to envelop Kamito's body.

Crouching down towards Kamito, Asia slowly heals the wound by placing her hand on his back.

The spear of light gradually gets smaller until it disappears.

Asia's warmth replaced the pain he should've felt.

"Asia. If you don't want that Devil to be killed, come with me. Your Sacred Gear is essential for our plan. Your power, the [Twilight Healing], is a rare Sacred Gear unlike the Sacred Gear of the Devil over there. If you don't come with me, I will have to kill that Devil."

Raynare gives a cruel order, effectively making Kamito a hostage.

One minute has passed.

If he could somehow stall Raynare for another 2 minutes, he'll be able to get up and fight again.

However, he had considerable doubt that tactic would work. She could be keeping track of the time as well and plan to kill him during the last minute if Kamito doesn't agree.

In other words, the 60 seconds he has now are crucial.

"Asia, don't-!"

"Yes, I understand."

Asia accepts the Fallen Angel's order, ignoring Kamito's protest.

"Asia!"

"Kamito-san. Thank you for today. It was really fun."

Asia smiled towards Kamito who was still on the ground.

She did not want to go back to that place.

But she did not want to lose Kamito even more.

Her first real friend.

'Don't go…!'

His eyes seem to be struggling to convey to her.

That only made Asia's smile grow even further.

Even now, he was more concerned for her than he was of himself.

As she always thought, he really is a good person.

She truly felt blessed to call such a person her friend, even for a short time.

Confirming the wound on his back is completely healed.

"Good girl, Asia. That's it. Problem solved. With today's ritual, you will be freed from your suffering."

Raynare put on a lecherous smile.

"Ritual!? What are you talking about…!?"

Kamito angrily demands, raising his voice desperately.

His attention turns towards Asia, screaming,

"Asia! Wait! We're friends aren't we!?"

"Yes. Thank you for being friends with someone like me."

"Don't go…! I…I promised! I promised I will protect you! Don't make me break my promise…!"

She turns around, always smiling towards Kamito.

Kamito was lost in her smile for just a moment.

"Goodbye."

She says her farewell.

Raynare covers Asia with her black wings, but before she left, she gave one last sneer towards Kamito.

"Protect her? Do you fancy yourself as her guardian? Some hero of justice? Don't make me laugh….You're a monster, whose only know how to fight and kill. You're an assassin, a killing machine, you only exist to kill and reap life. What would a destroyer like you who only knows how to take life know about protecting life? You can't protect anyone. You never could and never will."

Kamito's heart froze along with the rest of his body.

His mind so blanked it was as if his brain had stopped working.

For only a moment, he asked himself.

Was she right? Were her words true?

Did he know nothing about protecting others? Is the only role suited for him was that of a destroyer?

He cannot protect anything that's precious to him; he can only destroy the things that he does not like.

Was that him? Was that Kazehaya Kamito?

"Well, I suppose I should rephrase that. You **used **to be a destroyer. Now you can't even do that. You're worthless now. Nothing but low-class Devil trash. You had to be saved by this girl. If you get in my way again, I will definitely kill you. "

Scoffing at him one last time with some cruel words, the Fallen Angel flourishes her wings and took the skies while carrying Asia.

They disappear into the sky.

The only thing left for Kamito were black furthers and a Rache-kun doll.

"Asia…."

He cries her name with his face buried into the ground.

There was no reply.

He failed. He couldn't keep his promise. He couldn't protect her.

He couldn't do anything.

He lies there catatonically.

The seconds passed as if they were days.

By the time those minutes were up and he could move again, he was found by Yuuto and Koneko who proceeds to take him back to see Rias.

Without uttering a sound, his mind echoes with fragmented thoughts.

(Just….what am I….?)

(A human…?)

(A Devil….?)

(A monster…?)

(A Hero….?)

(A Villain….?)

(A friend….?)

(An enemy…?)

(A Protector…?)

(A Destroyer….)


	5. AN: READ THIS ONLY AFTER READING LIFE 3

Ah geez! Ppl keep asking me the question 'why did Kamito lose to Freed?' and rather answer the same question over and over, I'm just gonna put the reason for it simply right here:

Technically, Kamito did not lose to Freed, it was all an accident. Basically, Kamito protected Asia from a blow that was meant for her without any proper thinking or planning. As such, he essentially had dirt thrown into his face. Or in this case, had his eyes slashed across by the sword of light. To me, that alone sound painful like hell.

It's like this, it didn't matter how strong a man is, whether its the size of his muscles or how good he is at martial arts, he is still vulnerable to a firm kick in the balls. This is a similar concept to that.

Indeed, Kamito would've definitely won if it continued on normally because in my mind, Kamito is essentially stronger than Freed.

I simply made it a loss simply as a plot twist and to express Freed as someone who would play dirty and believe its justified if used against a Devil.

There's a bunch of other things I could say but that might spoil the story a little. That is all.


	6. Life 4

Oh my god, this took too long! I had intended to have this chapter out by the 14th but it dragged out longer than I hoped.

It didn't help that I was playing Danganronpa and Lightning Returns.

At any rate, here it is, the end of the first arc. After this, we'll be moving onto the Raiser Arc.

Originally, the plan was for Kamito to fight Raynare alone but since Raynare is a personal enemy to Issei for obvious reasons, I thought I would give him the spotlight for a bit, just for this one chapter.

Oh and I hope you don't mind but I'll be taking a bit of a break from writing this for a while, so I can finish Danganronpa and Lightning Returns. Sorry guys but it's a torture for me to write while those games are left unplayed!

Anyways, read, review and enjoy.

**Life 4: Desire**

Sitting in the usual spot on her couch, Koneko was just about to take a big bite into the bread in her hands, she was suddenly statled by a loud clapping sound that echoed in the clubroom.

The sound came from Kamito's red cheek.

He was slapped. Rias had slapped him on the cheek.

She has a serious expression.

"You understand why I hit you, right? Going off on your own like that, encountering that Fallen Angel and trying to do everything yourself. Do you understand just how reckless your actions were just now? You could've been killed or worse."

After being forcefully escorted back to the club room by Yuuto and Koneko, the first thing Rias did was give him a firm scolding.

"..."

Kamito stood there, not choosing to say anything.

He'll admit he had that slap coming to him but he still felt pain in his heart.

He acknowledges his own actions and was aware of the risks and consequences.

So, there was nothing he could say that didn't sound like some cheap excuse.

Rias crosses her arms, nerved by his silence.

"More importantly, how was the Fallen Angel able to get the upper hand on you? What on earth happened?"

"..."

Against Rias' hard gaze, Kamito averts his eyes away.

Should he say it? About the trigger word that caused his body to freeze up?

Perhaps Rias and Akeno could find a way to resolve his condition and remove the trigger in his brain. In fact, he's certain of it.

However, time is of the essence at the moment. Something like this could not simply be fixed in a matter of minutes. And with his concerns towards this 'ritual' that Raynare mentioned, time was of the essence.

He needed every second.

He kept his silence, saying nothing to Rias because he knows that she'll try to stop him, even use force to detain him if she needed to. And since she can't save Asia herself, Kamito was that girl's only hope.

He couldn't say anything to her.

Rias' eyebrows curled sharply as she lets out an exasperated sigh,

"You're really stubborn, you know that? You used to be much more obedient back then."

Like a mother stressing over her child reaching their rebellious age, Rias sinks her shoulder vexatingly.

"...Sorry, Buchou..."

Kamito finally opens his mouth, his first words being an apology before continuing,

"But...I have every intention of keeping my promise to that girl."

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? No is no. I can't allow you to save that Sister."

Despite her words, Kamito had every intention to go to that Church.

Obviously, to save Asia.

He understands Rias' position and that she wouldn't be able to act even if she wanted to.

That's why Kamito had chosen to act alone.

This was without a doubt, a betrayal. To the woman whom he owes an enormous debt to. A woman who had high expectations for him. A woman who he had given his life to.

But just for today, he wants his life back. To fulfill the promise he made to that girl.

"I will go at it alone. The ritual thing they mentioned is a definite concern of me. I want to see what the Fallen Angels are planning and I'm worried about Asia."

"Are you really that stupid? You will definitely be killed if you go. You won't be able to come back to life anymore. Do you understand?"

Rias tries to talk calmly, but there was an immediate concern in her voice. In the 7 years that she's raised this boy, this was the first time he had ever talked back with his opinions.

Rias had a complicated face as he was trying to deal with it.

"Your actions will affect not only me but also the other members! You are a Devil of the Gremory group! You should know that better than most!"

Against Rias' steadfily-raising voice, Kamito accepts her words calmly with a composed face.

"I understand. I won't cause any more trouble for you..."

This is the only path he could choose. This is the price he'll pay. No, it'll be his punishment.

"Then please let me out of the group. I'll go there as an individual. Declare me a 'Stray', hunt me down if you have to, but please, do that only after I've saved her."

Kamito pleads sincerely, ready to bow his head. If his useless pride allows him to save Asia, then he'll-

"I can't do that! Why don't you understand?"

Rias is enraged. More than she's ever been. Her eyes glared at Kamito, but not with anger.

The emotion he felt with those eyes were sadness.

Her eyes were moist and emotional.

She was upset, almost offended that Kamito would say that.

Declare him a 'Stray', a devil to be hunted down later, most likely by her own hands.

Of course, she could not do that. Not to him or anyone else.

She was never that kind of person.

Kamito should know this and yet he still said those words, which was almost like a knife thrust into her chest.

Kamito, realizing the weight of his own words towards his own master, quickly retreats and his eyes wore a softer expression.

"...Sorry, I went too far with that...But, I made my decision. I'm going to go save Asia. No, I want to save her. I won't abandon her."

That boy had enough blood on his name already, mostly caused by his own hand. He will not allow the young Sister's blood to be spilled on top of it.

"…That's a wonderful thing. I think it's amazing if you can finally express something you want so much that you'll go to this length. But that is different than what we are talking about now. The relationship between a Devil and a Fallen Angel is not as simple as you think. The two sides have been glaring at each other for hundreds and thousands of years. If you show them a single gap of weakness, they will come and kill us. They are our enemy."

"...Then I will destroy them and anyone who gets in my way."

His voice taking a colder and darker tone, Kamito becomes resolute and the visage in his eyes became as sharp a sword.

"..."

Rias didn't say anything. She simply glares back at Kamito's piercing gaze.

Neither of them backed off, both firm in their beliefs.

While neither were necessarily wrong, they were clearly operating on a different set of morals.

Rias had seen those hostile eyes of his before.

He had those exact same eyes back when they first met.

"That girl was originally from God's side. She is a person that we cannot ever coexist with. Even if she went with the Fallen Angels, it doesn't change the fact that she is still the enemy of us Devils."

"That may be, but Asia is not our enemy."

Kamito states firmly, without a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Even if she isn't, she has nothing to do with us. Kamito, you have to forget about her."

Kamito's face froze up as his eyes slightly widened. Unconsciously, his hands clenched into tight fists that silently trembled.

(Forget about her?...That's impossible.)

He could not forget about that girl, who was robbed of her childhood, and desired nothing more than a normal life.

To do that, would be akin to forsaking himself.

Even though they travelled different paths, Kamito can see the parts of himself within that girl.

Used by the world, by the selfish people that manipulated them and then tossed away to suit their benefits.

Kamito understands what the girl is going through. And as such, wanted to save her.

The same way Rias did for him.

Then Akeno comes and whispers into Rias' ear.

Akeno also had a serious expression, but it wasn't because of the conversation between Rias and Akeno.

Something else was amiss.

Rias, who carefully is listening to Akeno, nods her head with a serious expression.

Rias looks at Kamito, and then looks at the remaining members.

"I've got an urgent thing to do now. Akeno and I will go out for a bit."

"Buchou, hold on-"

Rias puts her index finger on Kamito's lips, her eyes suddenly wearing a warm, tender expression.

"Kamito, no matter what you decide to do, no matter the path you decide to follow or the person you decide to become, you will always be my cute servant. Don't ever forget that."

"...!"

As if she was responding to what he had said earlier about leaving the group, Rias whispers those words gently to him while gently stroking his cheek with her hand.

Against such sincerity, Kamito couldn't help but become a little flustered, cheeks flushing just a little pink.

Her cute little servant...Rias always called Kamito that. For as long as he's known her, she's always referred to him as that and nothing else.

Not as a killer, a destroyer, the one who almost taken her life, or even a monster, Rias had only called and known Kamito as her 'cute, little servant'.

In her eyes, he was not a destroyer, but a cute servant.

"There's one last thing you should never forget. Even with [Promotion], a single [Pawn] won't stand a chance in enemy territory."

After saying that, she teleports to some other place through the magic-circle along with Akeno.

The only ones left were Kamito, Issei, Kiba, and Koneko.

"Hey, Kamito? What are you going to do now?"

Issei asks from where he was sitting and Kamito didn't need to think for his answer.

"It's obvious. I'm heading there to save Asia."

"B-But, Buchou said...!"

"I've decided. I'm going to save her. No matter what, I'll keep the promise I made to her no matter what."

Taking a deep breath, Kamito was already determined to go and was about to leave.

Yuuto calls out to Kamito.

"Do you plan to go at it by yourself at your current abilities."

Buchou acknowledged that Church as the enemy base, right? That means I'll be able to use Promotion. That should increase my chances by just a little."

"Even if it means going up against Buchou?"

"If she wanted to stop me, then she should've locked me up in one of Akeno-san's barriers. Magic is one of the skills that I never really spent much time working with."

"Oh, so you noticed that, huh?"

Yuuto was pleasantly surprised. If there's one thing he can never understand about Kamito is that there were some things where Kamito is as dull as his sheath and there are other times where his mind is as sharp as his sword. He didn't think Kamito would read between the lines of what Rias was saying.

Still, even with Promotion...

"...You will get killed. Even if you have the Sacred Gear, and even if you used [Promotion], I doubt it'll return you to your former glory. You can't face a group of Exorcists and Fallen Angels by yourself."

Kamito knew that this whole time. Fully aware of the suicide mission, he's still willing to bet on that one-in-a-million miracle.

But Kamito is confident in his survival. Rather, he had to survive this no matter what.

"...I won't die. There's still a debt I have to repay after I've saved Asia."

"Good determination, that's what I would like to say but it's still reckless."

"..."

Kamito didn't say anything. He couldn't argue back. Yuuto was right.

This is certainly reckless. He cannot deny that.

"I'm going too."

Saying it straight to Kamito, Yuuto takes his sword and sheaths it to his side.

"Wha..."

Turning around, Kamito's eyes snapped wide.

He lost his train of thought after hearing something unexpected.

"I don't know much about Asia-san, but you are my comrade and my senpai. Even though Buchou said that, there's a part of me that respects your decision and I also wish to fight alongside you. Also, I personally don't like Fallen Angels and priests. I detest them."

Yuuto's usual prince-like smile pulls down into a somber frown as his once-gentle eyes suddenly become cold and shrewd.

Kamito understands that gaze quite well. Those were the eyes of someone who bears past scars.

"...Is that okay? We'll be going into enemy territory. It could be dangerous. You might even die."

"It's better than letting you go and getting killed all by yourself. Plus, I'll be troubled if Senpai were to die before I can beat you in a duel."

Yuuto laughs and Kamito smirks bitterly at his apparent rival.

"I keep saying, enough with the 'Senpai' already."

Then a small build girl approaches Kamito.

"...I'm going as well."

"Wha-, Koneko?!"

"...I, want to pay you back for lunch the other day."

She claims although in Kamito's mind, there is nothing fair about risking your life just because you were treated to lunch.

"Is that really all there is to it...?"

Kamito couldn't help but ask. Koneko nods her head simply,

"Yes...Also, I want to help Kamito-senpai."

The priorities in this girl's mind may just be slightly skewed a little.

Kamito ponders that for a moment but simply shrugs his shoulders.

Saving Asia comes first.

"Thank you, Koneko. I'll pay you back for this with lunch. How's that sound?"

Kamito rubs Koneko's head, causing the girls face to flush red slightly as she buries her eyes under her bangs.

"...Nyaa, Senpai..."

She murmurs with a cute, soft voice.

It seems they were all just about ready. However, Issei shoots up from his seat, giving Kamito a determined face.

"I'm going too!"

"H-Huh?"

Now Kamito is truly surprised by this. However, Issei continue to kept talking while maintaining a strong voice.

"Yuuma-cha, I mean, Raynare-san is there, isn't she? Then let me go too.

Issei looked really determined. The last time Kamito has seen this face was late at night one time when he made a grand 'I wanna grab some tit's' speech in his room.

Although, the face he had right now lacked the drool on the corner of his mouth.

"Issei...You do understand what's going on, right? We're heading to a place that will be full of Exorcists and Fallen Angels. Just one of them alone would be enough to kill us. You're a Devil, you're just starting out. You have no combat experience whatsoever. You'll just be a moving target. You were only lucky because you were a human but you can't reincarnate once we're devils. We die and it is over. You know that, right?"

Issei pinches his mouth tight, swallowing a huge mass of saliva down his throat.

A nervous sweat crawled down his face. Of course, this was natural.

The only experience he had was hunting a Stray Devil. That was only one fight and Issei didn't do much.

Now, they were striking right at the heart of enemy territory and going up against exorcists and Fallen Angels where just one hit could mean an instant death.

That is scary. Issei didn't bother to hide the fact that he is terrified.

His knees wouldn't stop trembling where he stood and his body was drenched in sweat.

The boy is scared and he had every reason to be.

But despite that fear, Issei tries to swallow it and faces Kamito with all the wavering courage he could muster.

"...Even so, please, let me go. I...I need to face Yuuma-chan again. Otherwise, I will never be free of her memory."

"...Memory, huh?"

Kamito ponders that word intently while Kamito exchange eye contact against Issei's serious glare.

Issei chose a good word there to describe it.

Basically what the boy wanted was closure.

Even though she tricked him, killed him and mocked his own feelings, Issei had the desire to see Raynare or 'Yuuma-chan' again.

After all, she was still Issei's first girlfriend at one point and Issei, who had taken the relationship so seriously that Kamito could remember the little minutes they spent preparing Issei for his first date, was no doubt left scarred by the memory of the time she killed him.

No doubt even the happy memories he had with 'Yuuma-chan' no doubt left a powerful curse in his heart.

A curse that only would be lifted by confronting it directly.

If Kamito did not understand the need to confront their own personal demons, no doubt he would've still rejected Issei's offer to join them.

This was reckless, on both Issei's part as well as his own.

"...Alright, you can come with us. However, I'll only let you go as far as see and talk to her. No matter what the situation is, you are to always stay behind either me, Yuuto or Koneko. Do not even think about entering the fight on your own and focus only on giving us support. Can you promise me that?"

Issei's determination then becomes heartfelt gratitude.

"Y-Yes! Th-Thank you, Kamito! I knew it! I knew you always understood me! I'm touched! I'm proud to call you my best friend!"

Issei nods his head with gratitude, manly tears pouring out of his eyes as he pats down on Kamito's shoulders.

Kamito simply groans, both in mind and body. It felt like a part of his brain just shorted out.

He sighs heavily and looks over at Yuuto over his shoulder.

"...Do you think you can watch out for him to ensure he doesn't get killed?"

"W-Well, if we have no other option."

Yuuto reluctantly agrees with a sad smile on his face.

And so with the team of Kamito, Yuuto, Koneko and Issei, everyone prepares to move, optimistic of their chances of saving Asia.

Like this, the four of them heads towards the Church.

**Part 2**

The sky is steadily becoming dark as the sun slowly starts to set.

Rias and Akeno stands atop one of the roofs of a neighboring house, overlooking the abandoned Church standing right at the distance.

The Church wasn't hard to find. It was the only one in town that was left abandoned and therefore the only place where Fallen Angels could occupy as their base of operations.

While a cold, light breeze flourishes her flowing crimson hair, Rias crosses her arms under her chest while solemnly gazing at the church from the vantage point of a quiet, two-story house rooftop.

Standing at the highest point, she carefully studies the Church before her.

As a [King], it's common procedure to study the enemy base before making her move.

However, there was a limit from what she can see from just the building's exterior alone.

"...?"

Rias then notices it. A group of four distinct characters going into the Church through the front gate.

Their profiles were the size of bugs from where she stood. However, she can recognize her cute servants from anywhere.

"Even after I said all that...What am I going to do with you, Kamito?"

Rias sighs but a gentle smile was definitely adorned on her face.

It seemed the boy was able to figure out the hidden meaning behind those words.

One would think that a person that sharp would be a bit more keen on a woman's feelings.

"It can't be helped, I suppose."

She can only do what she can to support her cute, little servant, even if it's from the shadows.

The enemy were the Fallen Angels. No doubt Kamito will face some personal enemies inside that Church.

Stopping him now would only hinder his growth, Rias knew that.

"Ara ara, Kamito-kun sure has changed, hasn't he? I've never seen him talk back to Rias before now. Ufufufu."

Giggling, Akeno cups her hand around her face while watching Kamito and the others run into the Church at Rias' side.

Rias simply lowers her shoulder with a bit of a sad smile on her face.

"I suppose it's a sign that he's growing up. I guess it means he'll be causing me even more grief along the way."

"Ufufu, you sound like a mother whose child has reached his rebellious stage. If he's that much of a handful, why don't you give him to me?"

"Absolutely not. I will not give that boy to anyone, not even to you, Akeno. That boy is mine."

Rias announces with an unyielding voice.

Her resolve remains true. She would sooner lose an arm than that boy.

A rare gem like him is hard to come by.

Ingrained with deadly skill at a young age, Rias always sensed something else inside him that cemented her decision to make that boy her servant.

Potential.

Ever since she laid eyes on Kazehaya Kamito, the only thing she saw in him was overflowing talent and potential.

Originally, that boy required a total of 8 pawns to reincarnate. However, that boy sealed away half of his original power to lessen the requirements to four.

Still, knowing his original value, only seems to strengthen her desire to have him in her peerage.

He is to be her trump card.

That was her plan. However-

"...Akeno, do you know what Kamito's biggest weakness is?"

Her face suddenly put on a more serious expression, Rias asks Akeno that question out of nowhere.

"Weakness?"

Akeno repeats it while tilting her head curiously.

While the boy isn't perfect and still had many things to improve on, she isn't sure of what Kamito's 'biggest' weakness is.

Rias explains,

"It has nothing to do with his ability, or the characteristics of a Devil and the inherent weakness to light. No, his 'weakness' may not be the best way to put it. It's more like, something he lacks. Something that most humans, Devils, Fallen Angels and perhaps even Angels should possess, but for some reason, Kamito doesn't have that quality. Do you want to know what it is?"

"Something he lacks..."

Akeno thinks it over for a while but still couldn't think of an answer.

And so, Rias announces,

"-Desire."

"Desire?"

"Yes. Desire. One of the most basic instincts all living creatures are born with. The strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen. Everyone is born with that instinct. However, Kamito's desire, the personal wantings of his own heart, were destroyed at a very young age."

As if reading her mind, Akeno can guess what Rias is about to say and says it before her.

"By the Instructional School."

"Yes, that accursed institution broke my Kamito's personality and with that, any form of desire he would've held in his heart. Of course, it was fine for them back when he was just an assassin, relying on his own skills to assassinate Devils. However, it becomes different when you factor in his Sacred Gear."

"It's because the Sacred Gear is driven with the power of desire and it also determines its power."

Rias nods her head, calmly adding,

"Yes, the stronger the desire, the stronger the Sacred Gear will respond. However, even though Kamito had become my servant, he still has yet to regain his 'Desire'. At least, he never had his own personal desire, something that only he, from the bottom of his heart, wanted more than anything."

Yes, for as long as Rias has known him, that boy always had no 'desire'. Whether it's money, women, or power, a yearning for love, the need to protect something or even the wanting of a materialistic good, that boy wanted 'nothing'.

In the seven years that Rias had known him, he had never once asked her or anyone else for anything. He simply followed his orders and did his job, once as an assassin and again as a servant of Rias Gremory.

But that boy never expressed the clear desire for anything.

"Even with a powerful Sacred Gear like his, the power of the Vorpal Sword is currently weak because he lacked the 'Desire' to power it."

Akeno's eyes steadily widen as she comes upon a deep realization,

"Then, the reason you sent him off to training was-"

"-I wanted him to see more of the world and the many types of people that lived in it. The skills he would've gained from it would be a nice bonus but my aim in that was for the boy to learn more about the world and grow as a person."

Akeno's eyes softened with a comprehensive sentiment.

"I see. Then Rias, how far do you think our Kamito-kun has progressed since then?"

When Akeno asks her that question, that boy's words echoed back into her mind.

(I'm going to go save Asia. No, I want to save her.)

That was the first time that the boy had ever said 'I want'.

It shows how much he has grown.

Rias simply puts on a small smile with a relieved expression.

"I feel he's going to become a magnificent Devil."

His first desire, the desire to save someone.

A girl nonetheless.

Thinking that, Rias couldn't help about the twinge of jealousy tugging at her heart.

"A woman's heart really is a troublesome thing..."

"Rias...?"

"Ah, it's nothing. Never mind me. Anyways, we should get going, Akeno. Pay a visit to the Fallen Angels who will be entertaining us tonight."

**Part 3**

The sky is already dark, and it's already time for the street lamps to be on.

Kamito, Yuuto, Koneko and Issei are examining the Church while concealing themselves behind a thicket of trees and bushes, carefully watching from where they could see.

There is no one entering or exiting the Church.

The closer they got to the Church though, the stronger that Issei began to have a bad feeling. He is sweating from all over his body.

Noticing Issei's sudden nervousness, Kamito confirms,

"There's no mistaking 's a Fallen Angel inside."

Yuuto nods his head while alongside Kamito.

"We should be careful. Here, look at this map."

Yuuto spreads out the map of the building on the road.

Issei stares at it, asking,

"Whoa, where did you prepare this?"

"Well, it's basic when you are going into the enemy's territory."

Yuuto makes a handsome smile.

"As prepared as always, it seems."

Kamito crosses his arms, half-amused while staring down at the map.

"Besides the sanctuary, there is also a dormitory. The sanctuary looks suspicious."

Yuuto points at the sanctuary.

"So we can ignore the dormitory then?"

Issei assumes to which Yuuto nods his head.

"Most likely. Most "Stray Exorcist" groups usually make some alteration to the sanctuary. They usually perform suspicious rituals under the sanctuary."

"Why?"

Issei anounces his doubt to which Kamito answers with the usual stoic face,

"It's the place they used to respect as a holy place, and by doing something that rejects God there, it makes them satisfied because it's an insult to God. Because they loved God, because they were rejected by God, they purposely cast evil spells under the sanctuary as a representation for their hatred. You could say that these exorcists and the God they worshipped are a tad bit crazy. What an insane world we live in..."

Sighing melancholically, Kamito eases his shoulders.

"The sanctuary is located right behind the entrance. I think we can go straight in. The problem is to find the door to the basement once we get in the sanctuary, and also if we can defeat the assassins waiting for us."

Yuuto informs to which Kamito nods his head while pinching his chin.

"Assassin's, huh? Never thought I'd be facing one of my own quite like this..."

Upon uttering those strange words, Yuuto, Issei and Koneko all glance over at Kamito with a confused expression on each of their faces.

It takes a moment of their staring to realize Kamito said the wrong thing.

(Ah, shit...I messed up.)

That's right, these three don't know of his past and of course, they would look a little confused upon hearing him say that.

He'd rather not talk about it here at this moment so clearing his throat, he addresses everyone hastily,

"A-Anyways, we should all get going! Asia is waiting or us."

Yuuto, Koneko and Issei looked worried for a moment, still pondering what he had said earlier but decides to set those feelings aside to focus on the task at hand.

'We can ask him later' they all thought and while looking at each other in front of the church while the moonlight lit their faces, they nod at each other.

Their plan was set.

All that's needed is to enter.

Passing through the entrance, they head straight for the sanctuary.

The Fallen Angels should not have noticed their intrusion as the others should have been able to mask their demonic power using the technique Kamito taught them and Issei's demonic power is too weak to be noticed anyways.

Still, that doesn't change the fact that they were in enemy territory.

There is no going back. The only path is straight ahead.

Kamito and Yuuto pushed open a large pair of twin doors and everyone steppd inside the sanctuary.

There is an altar and long chairs. It looks like an ordinary sanctuary. The candle lights and the interior lamps lit the sanctuary.

"...Issei, promote to a [Rook]."

Kamito immediately commands and Issei hastily nods his head.

"R-Right. Promotion [Rook]."

Issei says those words with a pronounced voice. With a 'BASHIN' sound ringing in his mind, Issei can feel power flowing through as the Pawn Pieces inside him changes into Rook form.

The traits of the Rook's unreal defense and ridiculous attack strength was flowing through him.

"Alright, that's good. The Rook's added offense and defensive power should protect you a little from the light-based weapons from exorcists and Fallen Angels. Still, try not to let yourself get hit. It'll still kill you if you're hit hard enough."

"R-Right."

Clap Clap Clap Clap.

Then a clap echoes through the sanctuary. Everyone turns their head towards the statue of the person on the cross.

The head was already destroyed.

Someone who looks like a priest shows up from behind the pillar.

Seeing that person's face, Kamito's eyes suddenly shoots a sharp gaze towards him.

"Meeting! It's a reunion! So emotional!"

The white haired Priest with the crazed expression.

His name is Freed, and he wore a strange smile like always.

"Well, I never met the same Devil twice before! You know, since I'm super strong, I cut Devils into pieces when I first meet them! Once I see them, I cut them up on the spot! I then kiss the corpse and say goodbye! That's how I used to live! But since you guys ruined my style, I'm so lost! That's no good~. It's not good to interfere with my lifestyle~! That's why~! You guys piss me off! I hope you guys will die! Actually die! You trashy Deeeeeeeeeeeevils!"

He takes out the gun and handle-only sword from before.

The blade of light appears. Both weapons are troublesome for Devils

The odds were 4 against 1.

"Things will be different this time. It won't end like last time."

Kamito proclaims, readying the black sword that was within its sheath.

"You guys came to rescue Asia-tan, right? Hahaha! Devil-samas are big hearted for coming to rescue a bitch like that who would even heal Devils! Well, just being entranced to a Devil should make that Sister die!"

(Die...?)

"Hey! Where is Asia!?"

"Well, there is a hidden stairs under that altar. From there you can go to the place where they are doing the ritual, Kazehaya Kamito."

The guy gives out the information a bit too easily.

Why did he spill the location so quickly?

Was it a trap?

Or was he so confident that he could take them all down by himself?

Then, Kamito raises one of his brows-

"...Wait, I never told you my name."

"Ah, that? Well, Angel-sama has told me all about you! She's told me everything about Kazehaya Kamito. E-ve-ry-thing."

Freed's tongue slithered like a snake as he puts emphasis on each syllable he spoke.

Slowly realizing Freed's malign intent, Kamito's eyes slowly widened with horror.

"...She didn't..."

"Yes, yes, she told me everything! And I have to say, I've gained a new respect for you! You really are amazing! An inspiration, no a role model to us stray exorcists everywhere! I really, really, really, REALLY admire the work you've done in the past, Devil Killer!"

Kamito flinched at the unpleasant nickname. His hand stops just as he was about to draw his sword.

"Devil Killer? What is this priest talking about?"

Issei asks in wonder and Yuuto answers hesitantly,

"Devil Killer...I've heard rumors about him before."

"...Senpai, what does he mean...?"

Both Yuuto and Koneko turn their heads towards Kamito, with strange, bewildered faces.

Kamito didn't say anything. Rather, he couldn't say anything.

Because he was always afraid how the others will react.

He, once known as the Devil Killer, and them, the very Devils he was once made to kill.

The confusion on their faces were understandable. He would not blame them if they become scared of him.

After all, he has once hunted Devils just like them in his past.

Freed shifts his glances around between Kamito and his friends.

Despite his crazed demeanor, he can easily tell what was going on.

"Huh? Seriously? You never told your own so-called comrades about who you really are? About the fact that you've killed more Devils than a Stray Exorcist like me could only dream of doing? Or the fact that you don't kill just Devils, but Angels, Fallen Angels and guess what? Humans too! Seriously, you never told them any of that?! Oh, I guess I shouldn't have said so much either than! Oopsie!"

Freed wore a crazed smile, as if mocking Kamito by bringing up all the unpleasant memories.

Kamito couldn't say anything back to him. After all, his words were true. It would've been easy if he could just dismiss his ramblings as a lie, but that was impossible.

It was the cold, harsh truth.

Only one refused to believe it.

"...Hey, Kamito...This shitty priest, he's lying right? He has to be lying, right? I mean, there's no way you of all people could be this Devil Killer he keeps talking about, right? There's no way you could ever do anything like that, right? Hey, say something will you? Hey..."

Issei keeps calling out to his friend, desperately hoping that Kamito would say something.

Say that those priests words were a lie.

Kamito didn't say anything. He couldn't even lie to Issei. He just stood there, lowering his head in shame and whispers to Issei,

"I'm sorry..."

-It was all true. That's what he was trying to say to Issei and the others.

Yuuto and Koneko too. Everyone remains silent while trying to accept the truth in front of them.

"Wow, what a surprising development! What a shocking truth! Gyahahahaha, this couldn't be anymore fun! Hey boys and girls, want to hear a story then? The truth about Kazehaya Kamito! The traitor-kun that has been lying to you and everyone else all this time!"

Freed starts to rambling like a mad man, making noises that could barely even be recognized as intelligible words.

"Once there was an orphaned boy, taken in and raise by a wonderful place called the [Instructional School]. There the boy was raised and trained into becoming an assassin for slaying Devils. There, he was the strongest killer the school has ever produced and he killed and killed and killed and killed more Devils than anybody, such an amazing person. Then the institution went ka-boom and with nowhere else to go, the boy went on and kept killing more and more Devils! Being a contract assassin, he followed his calling and kept killing people, drinking their blood with ecstasy! Devils, Fallen Angels, Angels, Humans, who gives a damn what they were!? The boy simply killed because he could and it didn't matter who it was, so long as he gets his money! Making money off killing Devils, that sounds like such a wonderful life! I really did admire this person and was so fuckin' jealous about his life! I wanted nothing more than to become just like the 'Devil Killer', making a living off killing Devils. Seriously, that guy was a hero! An idol to Stray Exorcists everywhere! And what happened to that amazing person!?"

After showing his joy and admiration, his face twists up with rage and he aims his gun towards Kamito.

"...He lowered himself into becoming another one of the shitty Devils he was born to kill. That's hilarious! So fucking hilarious I would laugh until I puked out my lungs! A Devil Killer? Becoming a Devil!? What a fucking joke! I seriously respected you and now you're nothing more than a Devil trash! I should kill you! Yes, I definitely should kill you! You damned traitor! Death to traitors!"

A bullet of light fires from his gun. Kamito dodges the bullet that cuts close to the side of his head, snipping off a few of his hairs.

No, he didn't dodge it. Freed intentionally missed him.

"...Traitor, huh? Odd, I don't recall the two of us ever being on the same side."

Freed's face then wore a sadistic smile while smacking his lips,

"We're the same, aren't we? We kill Devils and Devils fear us because of our power. So tell me, how are we different? We're not! Face the facts, Kazehaya Kamito! We may have different backgrounds but our nature is the same! We kill Devils simply because we can kill Devils! You're no different from us, Stray Exorcists! We're exactly the same! Gyahahahahaha!"

Reaching the pinnacle of his elation, Freed laughs and laughs, unable to control himself.

Kamito flinches against those words.

Terrifying thoughts echoed in his mind.

"I'm...the same as a Stray Exorcist?"

Kamito glances up towards the crazed priest whose eyes have lost focused. Completely lost his senses and with a shrieking laughter that sends chills down his spine, Kamito was speechless upon seeing that man's face.

He had a Complete Monster's face.

"I'm...the same as him...?"

Those dark thoughts were stamped upon hearing the sound of a foot stomping against the wooden floor at their feet.

"Shut the hell up!"

Issei steps forward, his Boosted Gear gauntlet materialized.

At the beginning, he only wanted to stay back and give support to his friends from the sidelines.

However, hearing Freed's word, he couldn't contain himself.

Each word he had spoken with the intent of slandering his friend ignited his blood and before he knew it, he exploded with anger.

Unable to control his rage, Issei's furious roar blows away the anguish that was in Kamito's mind.

"Don't bring my Master down to your level! You are nothing compared to him! He is a thousand times better than you could ever be, you shitty priest!"

Kamito was speechless. Left befuddled and dumbstruck, he simply stares at Issei with wide eyes.

"Huh? Hey, who the hell is this weak-looking Devil here?"

Freed points his eyes towards Issei like he was staring at a harmful insect and Issei simply proclaims proudly,

"I am Hyoudou Issei! The man who will become Harem King, under the tutelage of his best friend and teacher, Kazehaya Kamito, the Harem Master!"

Yuuto wore an awkward smile and Koneko simply stares blanklt towards Issei and Kamito respectively,

"Harem King?"

"Harem Master?"

Now Kamito is conflicted. At one hand, he is grateful to Issei. On the other, he wants to cry.

(His words would've been more profound if he didn't add the 'Harem' parts...)

Somehow, Issei has made him more depressed than Freed did, ironically enough.

"Well, I suppose I can agree with Issei-kun, to an extent."

Yuuto readies his sword at his side and gives Freed a stern death glare.

"...If you speak any more of your slanderous words against him, I'll cut out that vulgar tongue in an instant."

"...Insults to Senpai are unforgiveable."

Koneko takes on a fighting stance while holding her hands before her small body.

Both of them glare at Freed, who just stood there with a dumbfounded expression.

"Seriously? You guys are gonna still stick with that little traitor even after lying to you?"

Yuuto simply shows a cool smile,

"Well, it's not like he ever said he wasn't the 'Devil Killer', right?"

"Yuuto..."

Kamito looks towards his fellow swordsman, just as dumbstruck as Freed was.

Even though they should fear him, even hate him for deceiving them; instead, they are prepared to risk their lives to defend him.

Yuuto faces Kamito, with a gentler smile on his face.

"The only Kamito-kun I know is the Kamito-kun that I always trust to have my back and I wish to surpass one day. I do not know any Kamito-kun who is the 'Devil Killer'."

"Yuuto..."

Kamito was truly astonished to think that despite hearing the truth, Yuuto still saw Kamito as his comrade and his rival.

"...I as well."

Koneko looks towards Kamito with a smile. It was small but overflowing with gentle feelings.

"...I know that Kamito-senpai is a good person."

"Koneko..."

The same goes for Koneko. Everyone's faith in him hasn't wavered. In fact, it seems to have gotten stronger.

Kamito could not express with words alone, how fortunate he is to have friends like this.

"...Hey, what the hell is with all this mushy friendship 'I believe in you' crap? Aren't you Devils supposed to be all 'everyone for themselves'?"

Freed asked with a completely disgusted expression on his face.

Yuuto simply smirks while sharply glaring his eyes back towards the priest.

"Someone like you would never understand."

He says it confidently,

Yuuto draws out his sword and Koneko starts lifting up the pews that are several times bigger than her.

"...Disappear from Senpai's sight."

Koneko starts throwing the pews at the priest. It's a rather straightforward attack, especially one of a body as small as hers.

"Wow! Oh yeah!"

Freed did a small dance and cut the chair in half with his blade of light. The chair that is cut in half hits the ground.

"There."

Yuuto charges towards the priest. His body had already vanished as he moved at speeds that can't be followed at all in the untrained eye.

Sparks came between Yuuto's sword and Freed's sword of light.

The light in Freed's sword was so condensed that it maintained a solid structure, and thus can be clashed against other swords.

Each time Yuuto strikes, the sound of two metals colliding vibrates through the room.

"Hmmm! Hmmm! Such a pain! Why are you guys so noisy!? I'm super very bad! I'm sorry for talking in a death language! Forgive me after you die!"

Yuuto dodges the soundless bullets with his legs while continuing to attack his enemy.

Yuuto smirks while dodging another bullet that would've struck his shoulder.

"Hmm, unfortunately for you, I've had my reflexes trained to dodge bullets like these from Kamito-kun. And in a big room like this, you can't possibly hit me!"

Yuuto charges forward with full confidence. Gripping his sword with both hands, he swings forward, only to be blocked by that blade of light once more.

Despite Yuuto's speed, Freed can still see the young man's moves and act accordingly.

Yuuto and Freed then start to battle head on. Both of them glaring at each other.

"Impressive. You are quite strong."

"Ahaha! You too! A [Knight], huh!? Not even a single blind spot! This is great! Yes yes, this is what I'm talking about. Lately, I haven't had an awesome battle like this! I was about to cry because of it! Hmmm! Hmmm! I'm going to kill you!"

"Then maybe I should also fight seriously for a bit then."

Yuuto maintains a steady confidence.

"Eat this."

A low pitched voice, filled with intensity.

A black substance that comes out of his sword, wrapping the entire blade, giving the once-ordinary sword a jet-black appearance.

Darkness.

Darkness covers the sword.

The blade possess a dense black color that could only be second to Kamito's Vorpal Sword.

The darkness begins to shape Yuuto's sword.

The darkness sword that is clashing against Freed's blade of light starts to expand and is devouring the blade of light.

"Wha, what the hell is this!?"

Freed was absolutely confused as he helplessly watched his sword of light get devoured by the enemy's weapon.

Yuuto wears a calm smile and explains,

"—[Holy-Eraser], a darkness sword that devours light."

"Y-You are also a Sacred Gear possessor!?"

Yuuto chooses not to answer that. Instead, he focuses on adding pressure against his blade and devouring more of the priest's sword of light.

"For your vulgar words against Kamito-kun, I'll be sure to cut that tongue out of your mouth."

From where he stands, Kamito watches as Yuuto and Koneko fight against the priest for his sake.

Even though his mocking words were only directed towards him, they acted with fury as if they were the ones mocked.

"Hey, what are you doing, standing there!?"

He feels a hard fist whack him at the back of his head.

Turning around, he sees Issei looking at the dazed Kamito with a stern expression.

"Our comrades are out there fighting, you know? You should get in there and join them."

"H-Huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me! We're all here because we all want to help you rescue your friend! Get that through your thick skull first!"

"R-Right..."

Kamito never imagined the day that Issei would be the one reprimanding him.

It feels just a little embarrassing.

Looking at Kamito being a little hesitant, Issei lets out a big, exasperated sigh and drops his shoulders.

"Look, it's not like we believe what that shitty priest is saying. Even if it is true, I'm sure you wouldn't have done all those things he said unless you had no choice."

"How do you figure that?"

Issei gives a straightforward answer,

"Well, you just don't seem like the type to just kill people for no reason nor do you seem to be the type to just let people die. I mean, you saved me, didn't you?"

"..."

Issei's words stunned him briefly.

Kamito had completely forgotten.

He was the one who saved Issei when he was on the verge of death by calling for assistance from Rias.

That's right, he saved someone.

And now he has people who are willing to fight alongside him, despite who he is.

He wonders then, is this what it is like to fight with others? Among comrades?

This is the first time he's ever felt relief depending on someone else's strength.

He had always been alone, depending on his own abilities to survive.

But it's changed.

He's not alone anymore.

"...Geez."

A small smile comes across his face as everything slowly sinks into him.

Turning around, Kamito draws out his Vorpal Sword and locks his eyes towards Freed.

All he did was draw his sword. A massive of aura wasn't flowing out from him nor did he do anything besides assume a battle stance.

And yet, Issei can feel incredible power coming from his shoulders.

"There must be something seriously wrong with me if I needed counselling from you of all people."

Kamito's will restored and his tone returned to the familiar sound Kamito always makes ever since Issei first met him, he speaks with renewed confidence.

"Shut up! I don't like saying these weird lines myself either!"

Issei fumed and Kamito simply looks back with a wry smile on his face.

"That's too bad. You'd be more popular with the girls if you were more like this."

"Huh?"

Kamito then vanishes and a gust of wind flows through the stunned Issei's body.

He thought Yuuto was fast but Kamito's speed was at a whole other level.

It was like he just teleported out of sight right before him.

[Thunderclap]

Having achieved that god-like speed.

Breaking through the wall of air, his body generates a tunnel of wind that scatters all the pews around him.

His surroundings looked like they were melting as he passed through.

He heads straight for the Priest.

He gathers demonic power that wraps around the surface of his right hand, which he clenches into a tight fist.

Freed takes notice of Kamito's movements.

"Ah, the Traitor Devil-kun is coming! Die! Just die already!"

He points his gun loaded with light bullets towards Kamito. The bullets were shot without making a sound.

The bullets missed. Or rather, it couldn't reach its target.

The air tunnel generated around Kamito's body created such razor wound that the bullets of light simply bounced off and returns to nothing.

"Wh-What the hell!?"

Freed was in shock and Kamito talks back,

"Next time, pack heavier bullets!"

Kamito pulls his left fist back, his eyes aim for Freed's torso.

His sword and gun had no defensive properties and Freed cannot possibly react fast enough to dodge.

"This is for what you did to Asia!"

Stamping his foot down and generating power, Kamito drills his fist into Freed's stomach.

The gathered demonic power combined with his body's momentum unleashed an impact that pierces through Freed's body, meant to damage Freed's body from the inside.

His intestines get ruptured and the sound of meat turning into pudding rumbles from his stomach.

"Guwahhhh!"

A massive amount of blood erupts from Freed's mouth and splatters all over the ground just before his body gets sent flying across the room, his back smashing into the statue near the back of the room.

His body falling to the ground, violent hacking and coughing sounds comes out from his blood-soaked throat as more of his own blood is being thrown onto the ground.

He felt an incredible pain in his abdomen.

No, the pain was coming from inside his stomach.

His organs felt like they were mashed up by a meat grinder and was left swirling inside his stomach.

"Haa...Haa...Bastard, what did you to do to me?!"

Kamito, who stands there, merely cracks the knuckles in his right hand and glares towards Freed.

"[Destructive Impact]. An assassination technique performed by wrapping a fist with aura and releasing a shockwave to pass through solid objects. Normally, I would never actually strike my fist straight into a human being's body. I would usually send the attack through walls or ceilings and attack them using the shockwave generated alone. I refrain from actually striking people directly with my fist because the generated shockwaves passing through a living body can rupture a person's organs and cause severe internal damage...However, I'm more than willing to make an exception for you."

His voice suddenly taking a darker tone and Kamito glares at Freed with colder eyes.

His attack power wasn't as great as Koneko's. So to compensate, he aims for the internal organs, which can't be trained or strengthened and struck there, neglecting his opponent's physical capabilities.

Kamito narrows his eyes discerningly.

(Wait a minute, I made sure to use enough demonic power as to rupture his heart. How is he still alive?)

"...Damn, how merciless. So the 'Devil Killer' still exists inside you, huh? If I hadn't done this, I'd be dead."

Freed reveals the sword handle in his right palm, which is completely smashed up.

He must've used it as a shield before getting hit. Since Kamito was moving so fast, he wasn't able to see it nor did he notice it when his fist struck his stomach.

"…Hmm …Oh man, not only I got punched by a trashy Devil, but he's saying some weird crap to me…—Don't fuck with me."

The Priest makes a howl.

"Don't fuck with me! You shiiiiiit! A mere Devil shouldn't act cocky with meeeeee! I'll kill you! Definitely! I'll definitely kill you! I'm going to cut you into pieces, you shiiiiit!"

Freed takes out a second sword which consists of only a handle.

A second sword of light. There's no telling how many he has hidden under his coat.

However, Kamito, Yuuto and Koneko all surround Freed before he could make another move.

He notices it, looks around and begins to smirk.

"Wow, wow. Is this what you call a crisis? Hmm, for me, getting killed by a Devil is a no-no, so I feel like retreating. It's a shame that I can't exorcise you guys, but I also don't want to die!"

Freed takes out a round object and smashes it on to the floor.

A shining light then envelops the area and blinds all who were present.

The blinding light slowly fades and when their eyes recover, Freed was nowhere in sight.

His voice echoes from somewhere unknown.

"Hey, Devil Killer, nice to finally meet you! To tell you the truth, I have fallen in love with you. So I will definitely kill you. Definitely, okay? Seriously, don't let anyone kill you before I get to, okay? I really want your title as the 'Devil Killer' and I won't forgive you if someone else takes it from me! Okay now, bye-bye."

He had completely vanished without a trace, causing Kamito to click his tongue, annoyed.

"I really hate that nickname, almost as much as I hate that guy."

He escaped, and chances are they'll see him again.

Those parting words left an unsettling chill in Kamito's spine.

Shaking his head, Kamito looks towards the others.

"Alright, let's get going."

Everyone nods their heads and went towards the altar's hidden stairs.

**Part 4**

The four of them run down the staircase under the altar.

The electricity seems to still be working as a dim light illuminates their path.

Kamito and Yuuto walk on ahead, while Issei and Koneko follow up from behind.

At the bottom of the stairs, there was a single passage. Doors were on both sides of the wall.

Koneko points to the far end by saying,

"Possibly at the end of this passage… I can smell that person…"

"I see…So Asia is in there, huh?"

His right hand unconsciously tightens around the grip of his sword as Kamito tries to clear his thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Kamito simply stares up towards the massive door ahead of me.

(Wait for me, Asia. I'm coming.)

Kamito places a hand on the door along with Yuuto.

At the same time, Issei asks,

"Is that it?"

"Possibly. I'm sure there are groups of Exorcists and Fallen Angels inside. Are you ready?"

Everyone nods their head towards Kamito.

"Alright. Then let's go."

Nodding his head to reassure himself, Kamito pushes the massive door open alongside Yuuto.

While making a large noise, the inside of the ritual place became visible.

"Welcome. Devils."

The Fallen Angel, Raynare, spoke from the end of the room.

The room is full of priests. They all have a sword handle that makes the blade of light in their hands.

"Y-Yuuma-chan….?"

Seeing his so-called ex-girlfriend standing there with a new look, Issei couldn't contain his shock.

She laughs of amusement when she hears Issei's trembling voice.

"Ara, Issei-kun? You survived? And as a Devil? Seriously, this is the worst."

Her voice wasn't cute anymore. It was bewitching.

Issei had completely forgotten.

Amano Yuuma is a Fallen Angel.

She didn't look anything like the 'Yuuma-chan' he knows.

The person before him and the person he knew were like two entirely different people.

Even now, Issei had a hard time accepting it.

The 'Yuuma-chan' he knew was only an illusion.

The girl he loved never existed.

"…"

"Don't look away, Issei."

Kamito rebukes Issei who tried to avert his gaze away. Mentally forcing Issei to look right at the true form of 'Amano Yuuma', Kamito says to him,

"The true face of Amano Yuuma is right there in front of you. Don't shy away from the harsh reality. It's cruel but things won't get any better simply by looking away from the facts. Face the truth and overcome it. This is the woman that tried to kill you. She is our enemy."

"Our…enemy…."

Issei repeats those words,

Issei's hands clenched into tight fists and his whole body trembled from where he stood.

Closing his eyes shut, he did his best not to let the tears fall out.

"Damn it, playing with my feelings….Yuuma-chan, I actually loved you."

His voice was on the verge of sobbing and as his brain slowly starts to accept the harsh truth, it felt like knives were piercing his heart.

The boy was in pain.

And despite his suffering, Kamito chose not to pity him.

He wasn't going to apologize.

This was necessary.

For Issei to finally move on, he had to endure this pain.

As well as-

"Issei, if there's anything you want to say to her, you should say it now."

At Kamito's urging, Issei looks past his torment towards Kamito's understanding face.

Sensing his obvious doubt and hesitation, Kamito's words settled the conflict in Issei's heart.

"I can't say saying anything will make things better. In fact, I'm certain that nothing will change it all. But it's best to resolve any lingering feelings you may have for her now while you still can. If you don't, then those feelings you have will never go away. And Raynare's 'curse' will stay with you forever."

"….Her… curse."

Dealing with his old feelings towards 'Amano Yuuma-chan' caused great strife in Issei's heart and a twinging pain that mercilessly pierced it.

Confronting this woman, the Fallen Angel Raynare, was without a doubt too scary for him.

He is afraid; afraid of being stabbed by a spear of light from this woman again. No, even her words he feared; Issei was afraid of even hearing her voice.

But if he didn't confront her now, these feelings will forever haunt him.

Kamito is right.

He needed to face her now. Otherwise, he will never be truly free from her curse.

"…Shit. You are nowhere close to the Yuuma-chan that I remember."

Hearing that, she starts to laugh out loudly.

"Fufufu, it was pretty fun. The time I dated you."

"…You were my first girlfriend."

"Yes, watching it was very cute. It's fun to play around with guys who have no experience with a woman."

"…I was serious about taking care of you."

"Ufufu, yes, you did take care of me. When I was in trouble you managed to take care of it right away and made sure I didn't get hurt. But did you know that I did all of that on purpose? Because it was funny to see your face when you were in panic."

"…I made sure I planned our first date carefully. To make sure it would become a great date."

"Ahahaha! Yeah! It was an ordinary date! Thanks to that, I was very bored!"

"…Yuuma-chan."

"Ufufu, I chose that name so I can kill you at Dawn. Wonderful, isn't it? Right, Issei-kun?"

His rage past its limit. He then shouts his anger at her:

"Raynareeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

"Ahahahahaha! I don't want a rotten brat like you calling my name!"

Raynare makes a sneer.

She tosses a spear of light towards Issei, intending to impale him from the stomach for an instant kill.

Had Kamito not grabbed Issei's head and dragged him down, he certainly would've died.

"Get down!"

Tackling the ground along with Issei, the spear of light pierces the wall behind him.

Looking over at his friend with his face in the dirt, Kamito asks,

"How are you feeling?"

"I...I think I'm gonna puke...!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure some ice cream will heal that heart up."

Despite his joke, Kamito wore a serious face.

"Keep your head down, alright?"

He raises his head up and stands up. He looks up towards the unconscious girl who is attached to the cross and shouts.

"Asia!"

He calls out.

Hearing that warm voice reaches her soul, Asia slowly but surely opens her eyes. Her weak gaze looks towards Kamito, her mind suddenly regainging consciousness.

"...Kamito-san?"

"Sorry, it took so long. Don't worry, I'm coming to save you."

Kamito draws out Vorpal Sword and in response, a tear drops from Asia's eyes.

Raynare simply laughs,

"It's a touching reunion, but it's too late. The ritual is about to finish now."

(The ritual...? ...Oh crap!)

When Kamito finally realized the meaning behind the 'ritual', Asia's body starts to glow.

"…Aaah, iyaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Asia screams. Pain overwhelms her face.

Kamito panics. Finally realizing exactly what the ritual was meant to be.

"Let her go...!"

Losing his calm demeanor, Kamito recklessly charges in, trying to reach her. He couldn't waste even a second.

He did not have to worry about Raynare's trigger word at this time.

Saying it would have no purpose. Even if his body freezes, his comrades are still here to protect him should that event arise.

And since there was a one-hour waiting period between uses, she could not say it sparingly.

She'll only use it only when she can guarantee a kill from him.

He had to ensure not to give that woman the oppurtunity.

Priests form a wall before Kamito, keeping him from reaching Asia.

"I won't let you interfere!"

"Damn Devils! I will destroy you!"

"Damnit, get out of my way!"

Kamito roars, swinging his sword against the wall of priests.

He had no time to deal with these weaklings.

He cuts through the crowd of priests but it seems no matter how many he cuts through, more seems to appear.

He cuts down one and two appear in its place. He cuts down two and four more appear.

Dodging the beams of lights swinging at him from all directions, Kamito swung his left arm without rest in order to cut through the crowds.

There were too many. It'll take forever for him to make his way out. Priests kept coming at him from all directions.

They were easy to fend off and Kamito can manage with his sword alone. However, their numbers kept growing and growing and no matter how many he fends off, more keep coming.

He was pinned down by the horde of priests and the numbers were overwhelming.

He was getting nowhere with this, constantly attacking, blocking, dodging and countering.

Then a big sound was made. Konekoe punched away a Priest that tried to attack Kamito from behind.

"...You're being too reckless, Senpai..."

"Koneko...!"

Yuuto draws out his sword of darkness and cuts through the crowd of Preists in front of Kamito.

"Looks like I will have to go full throttle from the beginning. I hate Priests. If there are this many, then I won't hold back to devour your light."

Yuuto's eyes become sharp and there were chills coming from his body.

The darkness is showing a very dense killing intent. This will be an all-out war.

"Kamito-kun, go!"

"...Senpai...!"

Both Yuuto and Koneko urged him. Nodding his head, Kamito dashes ahead and slips past the thinner crowd of Priest right ahead of him.

His sights aim for Asia and as he tries to reach out, the girl suddenly becomes farther away.

No, that wasn't right.

His movements became slower.

Looking down, Kamito saw a pair of desperate priests grabbing hold of his legs. Despite the wounds on their body, they showed no intention of letting go.

"Damnit, let go...!"

Kamito forces his legs to move, trying to fight against the added weight on his legs.

More injured priests clung to his body. Attaching to his waist, arm and torso, the injured priests who knew nothing more than to get in his way, kept him from moving. The added restraints to his body were too much to bear.

Soon enough, it took all the strength he could muster just to progress a single step.

With his free arm, he reaches out for Asia, who was still so far away, screaming,

"Let her go!"

A large light comes out of Asia's body and at the same time, Kamito gasped as his entire body loses all of its strength.

His mind stopped thinking and for a moment, his heart froze.

"No..."

His arm drops to his side, his mind forgetting how to raise it.

Possessors whose Sacred Gear is taken away from their body will die. And that light that came from Asia's body was her Sacred Gear.

In other words, Asia is going to die.

Raynare takes the light into her hand.

"This is it! This is the power that I craved for a long time! Sacred Gear! With this, I will be loved!"

With an expression of ecstasy, Raynare hugs on to the light.

Then the bright light envelops the ritual room.

When the light stops, there is a Fallen Angel emitting green coloured light from her body.

"Ufufu. Ahahahahahaha! I finally have it! The supreme power! With this, I can become a supreme Fallen Angel! With this I can payback all those who were looking down on me!"

The Fallen Angel makes a big laugh.

"No!"

Desperation and fear runs through Kamito's head. He couldn't think rationally at this point.

The sword in his left hand responding to his anguished feelings, an intense aura of black lightning explodes from his body, blasting all the Priests that held onto him away.

Raynare's existence was completely erased from his mind and he went straight towards Asia.

A wall of Priests tried to stop him. Not caring about anything, he was ready to blast through them if that's what it took.

Yuuto and Koneko appear before them and blew them aside.

Yuuto's sword devours the light of the priest's sword, and Koneko hits the priest with one mighty hit. The combination attack they showed wasn't something they could practice overnight. Their remarkable teamwork was a result of many battles together.

"Thank you..."

He slips those words into their ears, earning a slight smile as Kamito continues toards Asia.

Asia, who is still attached the cross, looked completely lifeless.

Kamito immediately cuts off the restraints on her arms and legs, and the girl fell into his arms.

She felt so cold. And her heart was beating so faintly, he could barely hear it.

"...K-Kamito-san..."

"I told you, didn't I? I'm going to keep my promise to you."

"...Yes."

Her voice was very weak when she replied. He couldn't even hear her.

Her life was slowly fading.

(No. No! There...There has to be something, anything that we can do!)

"Hoh, this is a surprise. To think that even you could feel any emotion for anyone."

Raynare smirks as she stares at the boy, kneeling with Asia in his arms.

This boy was hardly a threat now. She could kill him anytime she wanted to.

However, before taking his life, she wanted to beat the boy down with her words, break his spirit, and crush his soul.

Make him wish he were dead and then grant his wish.

"…Give it back."

He spoke with a tone he never heard from himself before. Quiet and fierce, the atmosphere in the air is changing.

Kamito's vision stabbed through Raynare.

"…That power doesn't belong to you. Give it back."

"There's no way that I will give it back. You know I even deceived my superiors to get my hands on this? I will kill all of you and erase all evidence."

"…You'll go that far? You've already hurt Issei. Asia too. How many people must you hurt until you're satisfied?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing those words from you. You've harmed more people than I did, even killed them with your own hands. Did you honestly think you were better than me? Comparing the number of bodies piled up, I'm practically a saint compared to you."

"…Shut up! That doesn't give you the right to use this girl like she was just some tool."

"What else is she? That girl's only redeeming quality is the power she had, and with that gone, she's no better than trash that is to be thrown away. Well, I suppose she is quite pretty. You could always use her body before tossing her away, you naughty boy."

Each word she spoke only infuriated him. Rage boiled in his gut as he tries to control his trembling anger.

"You trash…! Scum…! You're the real devil, aren't you?"

Kamito spits his words out with repressed fury.

Raynare sneers,

"Aren't you the hypocrite?"

Hypocrite…yeah, that's right. Kamito had no right to judge this woman or anyone else for all the evils committed.

If he puts himself in that woman's shoes, even he would judge his own words as hypocritical self-righteousness.

"Kamito-kun! Our formation is at a disadvantage while we are protecting that girl! So go upstairs at once! We'll make the path for you! Now, hurry!"

Yuuto calls out while cutting down Priests with his sword.

Yuuto was right. There are still a great number of priests left, so there will be a limit to fighting the Fallen Angel while protecting Asia.

Remembering his first fight with Freed, Kamito fighting Raynare while trying to protect Asia again could have dangerous consequences.

Not taking the chance, he carries Asia in his arms and directs his eyes towards Issei on the other side,

"Issei! Get ready! We're leaving!"

"R-Right!"

Kamito dashes straight for the door.

"Koneko-chan, we will make an escape path for Kamito-kun!"

"…Affirmative."

The two of them took down the priests, clearing a path for Kamito to move.

"Thanks!"

Kamito yells in haste, easily making it to entrance of the ritual room.

"Yuuto! Koneko!"

"You go ahead! We will handle here!"

"…Please go quickly."

"But!"

"Just go!"

"….."

Kamito hesitates. He tries to swallow the shame of abandoning his comrades and directs his eyes towards his friends with a firm belief lodged in both pupils.

"I…I'll rely on you guys! I'll trust that you two will not die! I won't accept it if you do!"

The two of them smiled. Keeping their faces hidden as they faced the army of Priests before them, a smile appeared on both their faces.

"Issei, let's go!"

"R-Right!"

At Kamito's command, Issei abruptly chases after Kamito as the two ran out of the room.

Now there was only Yuuto and Koneko. Facing Priests from all directions, the two veteran Devils stood back to back with their weapons raised.

For some reason, the smile on their faces has yet to cease.

"…This is the first time Kamito-kun has ever relied on us for anything, huh?"

"….Let's not let him down."

**Part 5**

"H-Hey, Kamito? Are those two going to be alright?"

"There's no way they'll die in a place like this. Those two are tough. Even I wouldn't want to mess with those two…!"

Kamito and Issei run up the stairs, and Asia was being cradled in Kamito's arms.

Her once-rosy cheeks had become so pale like a ghost.

Her slender arms flimsily hanged to the side like a rag doll.

Even with her body so close, Kamito could not hear her heart beating.

He sets her down on one of the pews, kneeling on a single knee.

This is his first time experiencing fear, as he helplessly watched the life drain from the girl's face.

"….Hey, Kamito. Is she-?"

Issei lost his words as Kamito simply lowers his head in silence.

As if he was in morning, he chokes back the pain in his heart.

Once the Sacred Gear is removed from the user, the person will die, without exception.

He knew this fact that better than anyone, and yet, his heart still prayed for a miracle.

It was strange. He has killed a lot of people without batting an eye. And yet, the sight of this one girl dying right in front of him was enough to emotionally wreck him.

Maelstroms of emotions cloud his expression.

Then Asia's cold hands touched his face. Her slender fingers were as frigid as ice. It took the girl everything he had, just to feel his warm cheek.

"…I was happy that…I had a friend…even for a short while…"

Asia is smiling even though she is in pain.

"…If I were to be born again, will you become my friend once more…?"

Kamito stopped thinking. He even forgot to breathe and his entire body trembled.

"A…si…a….?"

Kamito called out softly, in a weak, pathetic tone.

"….Y-Yeah…."

His voice starts to break apart.

"….We'll always be friends. No matter what, I promise you that. No matter how many times you're born and no matter where you are in the world, I'll always be your friend. As many times as you want."

He promises her. He also promised to protect her before too.

What happened to that promise?

The girl is dying.

She is going to die.

And he let it happen. He couldn't protect her.

He failed her.

The one life he did not have want to take away is slowly dying right in front of him.

His rationality tried to seal off the emotions bursting through his throat.

What spilled forth next was terror.

A boundless fear began to warp his mind.

"I'm sorry…."

Being so weak, all he could do was apologize.

"I'm sorry for not being able to protect you….I'm sorry to not have been able to give you more fun days….I'm sorry to not have been a good friend to you….."

His voice lost all its strength.

All he could do was apologize while spitting out words full of self-hatred.

"…If only we had met sooner…If only we were there to understand each other's pain…"

While trying to hold his emotions back, he feels a wetness leak out from his right eye, clouding his vision.

"Don't cry…"

She tearfully begs with her weak voice. Was he crying? He couldn't tell.

"Boy's shouldn't cry…"

Her gentle words reach deep into Kamito's heart, unlocking one of his most precious memories.

That's right. Those words were said to him before.

He was crying then too.

That was the first time he ever shed tears. The first time he felt sadness.

And now, those sorrows re-enter his heart once again.

The tear squeezed from his eye soaks down and touched Asia's hand.

It was so warm. It brought peace to her face.

"…You even cry for someone like me…now I can…"

Asia's hand drops powerlessly like a broken doll. Her eyes slowly close, threatening to never open again.

"….Thank you…"

Those were her last words.

She passed away smiling.

Kamito loses all the strength in his body. His mind froze up, unable to think of anything, trying to block away the harsh reality right in front of him.

He did not cry. Rather, his last tear went to Asia and he had even forgotten how to cry.

He simply kneeled there, entire body frozen and his expression has yet to change even an inch.

"K-Kamito…."

Issei on the other hand, couldn't stop the tears pouring out of his eyes.

He had never seen it before.

Such a weak and helpless Kamito.

The Kamito he knew and looked up to was strong and composed.

But he wasn't invincible.

Issei realizes this now.

The boy can be harmed. He can be broken.

Actually, hasn't this boy been broken more times than anyone could count?

(Why? Why did he have to suffer? Why did this girl have to die?)

They were both good people, but they were cursed with a horrible fate.

Of course, he can't understand what those two have been through. That's why he was crying right now.

Why couldn't they have met earlier?

Why couldn't they have been friends sooner?

"Hey, God!? You are there right, God!? Devils and Angels exist, so you do exist as well, right, God!? You were watching, right!? You were watching all of this, right!?

Issei shouts at the ceiling of the Church.

No one would answer him. Even so, he kept screaming.

"Please, don't let them suffer anymore! Please! I beg you! They haven't done anything! They just wanted friends! I will be their friend forever! So please! Return my best friend's smile to me! Hey please! God!"

He screamed towards Heaven.

There was no answer.

"Is this because we're Devils? Did you abandon her because she made friends with a Devil!?"

Issei's bites his teeth with regret.

He has no power. None whatsoever.

If only he had more power as a Devil.

The power to help his friends.

"Ahh, you're so noisy. A Devil repenting in a place like this? Or were you wishing for something?"

The voice Issei heard from belonged was that of Raynare.

Kamito simply kneeled there, despondent and catatonic, but Issei turns around, and the Fallen Angel there is smirking at him.

"Look at this. This is the wound I got from the [Knight] boy while I was coming here."

Raynare places her hand on her wound.

The shallow green light starts to heal her wound.

The light that belonged to Asia. The light she no right in using.

"Look. Wonderful, isn't it? I can heal any kind of wound. To us Fallen Angels, who lost the protection of God, that child's Sacred Gear was a wonderful present."

"My status will rise since I will be a Fallen Angel that can heal Fallen Angels. I could be of help to the great Azazel-sama and Shemhaza-sama! There is nothing more wonderful than this! Aaah, Azazel-sama… My power is all for you…"

Slowly, Kamito slowly rose, deciding not to listen to anyone anymore as if he was possessed. Like a marionette with its strings pulled, Kamito stands up straight with his arms loosely hanging to his side.

"...Shut up."

"...Huh?"

"Don't say another word."

The air suddenly became cold.

He gave off a killing glare from his eyes. Eyes that expressed a desire to kill.

He spoke in a low voce, with a tone even colder that he ever spoke with before.

"I couldn't care less about what your devotions...Your fanaticsm has nothing to do with this girl."

"No, it did. She was a chosen human that possessed a Sacred Gear."

"That didn't give you the right to take hold of her life. She could have lived quietly. She could have lived normally."

"She couldn't. Those with irregular Sacred Gear would be left out of the world and groups. Because they possess a powerful ability. Because they have a different power than others. You know humans hate those things, right? Even though it's a wonderful power like this."

"..."

Kamito couldn't argue with her words. Because he believed the same way she did.

Sacred Gears are a cursed existence...

The two viewed it differently but their fundamental belief was the same.

"...Even so, I made a promise. I swore that I would protect Asia."

"Ahahahaha! It's impossible! Because she died! That girl is dead, you know? It's not the matter of whether you protect her or not. You couldn't protect her! You couldn't protect her back at evening and even now! Did you honestly expect anything else?! You're nobody's protector! You can't save anyone! You exist only for conflict, destruction and murder! You've caused more pain than mayhem than anyone! Do you think that you could protect anyone with those hands stained with blood!?"

"… I know. That's why I can't forgive you. And myself—"

He cannot forgive the world. He cannot forgive his existence.

He cannot forgive the person who killed Asia. He cannot forgive the person who let her die.

-Then, reject it-!

-Reject all of it-!

-Unleash your judgement on the world that betrayed you-!

-Let the world know how much you suffered-!

-Let your pain engulf it-!

-Crush anyone that dare opposes you-!

Tempting words echoed from an unknown voice coming from the depths of his soul.

Who was that? Who's there?

Kamito ponders that briefly for a moment.

Darkness begins to consume his rationality.

(….It doesn't matter.)

Thoughts that weren't his own echoed into his mind.

(-Destroy Everything.)

The voice that surrounded him carried a bewitching power.

It consumed his heart, took over his mind and controlled his movements.

His left hand threatened to crush the hilt of his black sword, causing violet sparks to leak out from his blade.

He glares at Raynare with an aura full of hostility.

Raynare simply sneers,

"Oh? Are you going to fight me here and now? It's futile. Killing you is as easy as speaking a word. In fact, that's all it'll take. One specific little word and you will be right at my mercy, giving me a full 3 minutes for me to kill you. I'll be sure to savor each second."

Raynare licks the tip of her fingers, like she was about to enjoy a delicious meal.

"….Go ahead. Like I care anymore."

Kamito says with a dejected tone.

He swore to Rias that he would never go back to the person he was.

That was another promise he was going to break.

Honestly, he didn't care if he broke it at this point anyways.

That's right. He didn't care anymore. Not about himself or anything else.

The world can burn and he wouldn't blink an eye.

Raynare's words were pushing him over the edge.

His soul stood at that line.

Behind him were his friends and loved ones. His family consisting of Rias, Akeno, Koneko, Yuuto, Issei and so many other people whom he've met ever since becoming a servant of Rias Gremory.

And up ahead beyond that invisible boundary was a pitch-black abyss.

All he saw darkness. The screams and howling souls of his victims and an ocean of blood were right in front of him.

All he needed was a single step and he would enter a place he could never escape from.

Raynare's lips curved into a smile as her mouth slowly forms the word out,

"Eu-tha-na-si-…."

Raynare's word almost pushed him in there but a loud voice roaring into the air, pulling him out of the place before he could drown.

"SHUT UP!"

[Dragon Booster!]

The Sacred Gear on Issei's left arm activiates as if responding to his roar. The jewel in the gauntlet makes a bright shine.

A counter appears on his gauntlet, signifying that one boost was counted into his gauntlet.

Immediately, he throws his punch towards Raynare, his face full of rage.

She easily dodges it and out of everyone, Issei was the one who was most shocked by his own actions.

The sadistic words of the Fallen Angel sent him over the edge.

Having not mastered his own emotions, Issei lets them out with a mighty explosion.

"It was you! It was Fallen Angels like you that Kamito was forced to kill! You Fallen Angels made him who he was!"

In Issei's mind, he saw no fault in Kamito. The blame rests solely on the Fallen Angels that created the institution, turned Kamito into a killing machine and letting him loose in the world.

The blood that stained Kamito's hands was the fault of the Fallen Angels that used him. The world that allowed this atrocity to continue was to blame too.

Yes, the Fallen Angels were responsible for the people who suffered, grieved and died by Kamito's hands.

All the deaths were their fault.

And yet, they allowed the boy to be their scapegoat, taking in all the sin and guilt for committing the crime that they should've been held responsible.

Something like that can only be seen as cowardly, hypocritical and cruel.

Issei has had enough of this Fallen Angels ruining everyone's lives.

Himself, Asia, and Kamito were all victims of their malicious game.

And he won't stand for any of that anymore.

His hot blood burning inside him, power flows into his body. From his left arm equipped with the Sacred Gear to his whole body.

He went ahead with his body overflowing with power.

He thrusts his fist towards the Fallen Angel who is smirking.

Raynare dodges it easily. As if she's dancing.

"I will explain it so even a dummy like you can understand. It's a simple power difference. I have a power of 1000. You have a power of 1. You can't shorten the gap between us no matter what. Even with the ability of that Sacred Gear, the power can only be doubled every 10 seconds! By the time you reach my level, you'll already be dead, if you can even handle it! It's futile! How can you win against me!? Ahahahahahahaha!"

[Boost!]

Another sound from the jewel. The mark on the jewel of the gauntlet changes from [I] to [II].

His power doubles again as his heart throb.

His power only doubled twice and already, he feels incredible strain on his body.

At the moment, two boosts were all he can handle with his weak body.

He went charging at her while concentrating his power towards his fist. His promotion to [Rook] should give him enough attack power to give a punch similar to Koneko's hit.

"Uooooo!"

"Heh! Did your power increase a bit? Still, it's not enough!"

His attack is dodged again.

Next moment, light gathers in Raynare's hand and it forms a spear.

"I put a lot of power in it! Eat this!"

The spear of light pierces both his legs. It went deep into his thighs. Even the [Rook]'s defence couldn't protect him from it.

"Guaaaaaah!"

He screamed.

His body goes through intense pain, but he refused to fall to his knees.

He grabs onto the spears, which lets out the sound of hot flesh burning.

"Guaaaaaaaaaah!"

It was hot. It was burning hot.

It's because he was grasping onto concentrated light that the palms of his hands were getting burn.

Smoke was coming from the black burn marks on his hand and the wounds in his thighs.

His hand an legs were burning violently.

Raynare starts to laugh after watching Issei try to pull out the spears.

"Ahahahaha! A Devil trying to pull that spear out is foolish! To Devils, lights are intense poison. Just touching it will make you burn. That is the ultimate pain that Devils can taste! For a Low-class Devil like you, it's—"

"Nugaaaaaaaah!"

His lungs erupted a scream that couldn't be described in words.

His fingers wrapped tightly around the spears in his thighs.

The intense pain caused by the spear that is piercing his legs.

The intense pain that is inflicted on him by the power of light.

Those things are causing him so much pain.

He's about to lose consciousness t.

It feels like he will die if he didn't bit his teeth hard.

Issei blocks out the pain in his mind, scolding himself for being so weak.

"This! Those people! This is nothing compared to what they went through!"

Tears and drool were coming out of his face as he violently tears the spears out of his thighs.

Pain threatened to destroy his mind.

The spear is being drawn out from his legs while making horrible noise.

When he pulls the spears out of his mind, he tosses them to the ground, causing them to crumble.

After losing the thing that was blocking the holes on his legs, blood starts to flow out from the wounds.

Even though he took out the spear, the pain still remains.

It hurts. It really hurts.

Issei was crying a lot and a lot of drool was flowing out from his mouth.

Issei slipped onto his butt after losing all the little strength he could muster.

He couldn't stand up.

He had no strength in his leg.

No power left in his entire power.

[Burst]

His Sacred Gear makes a sound, telling him that he reached his limit. Whenever the user reaches their physical limit, the announcement is called and the user's increased power are drained.

While he fought with passion, Issei was literally at his limit.

"…Quite remarkable. A Low-class Devil pulling out the spear of light made by a Fallen Angel. But it's futile. My light isn't flashy, but has a high killing ability against Devils. The density of the light is strong. So strong that it is used as the blade of light priests uses. Getting hurt even once will be hard to heal, even for a Middle-class Devil. For a Low-class Devil like you, this is the limit. Fufufu, you can't look down on the damage caused by the power of light, you know? Especially my light. The light circulates around your body, and cause damages to your whole body. If you are late at healing it, you will die. No, normally it won't be weird to die with that damage. You really have a strong build, don't you?"

Issei feels a grain of pride building up in his weak heart.

He always had his tenacity and spirit, if nothing else.

Just as the woman said. He can feel a pain burning tom inside his body.

As if his muscles and bones are starting to melt.

The pain is transmitted directly to the nerves in his brain. Letting his guard down even once will drive him insane.

That boy will probably die if he doesn't get treated soon.

(Is this the end for me?)

Was the boy going to die?

Come to think of it, he died before, didn't he?

Probably because of that experience, he felt unusually calm when facing death.

Or maybe, the pain has eaten so much of his mind that he couldn't feel emotion anymore like a normal person.

(I…did my best, didn't I?)

He fought like he had never fought before.

Actually, he never fought before.

This was his first and probably last fight.

And the fight was going to end in the most uncool way.

(….Damn, if this was a manga, I'd be able to summon it up some unknown power and kick her ass, right?)

However, this wasn't a manga.

This was reality. He is dying for real.

(Come to think of it, I don't normally do this kind of stuff, do I?

And this time, there is no coming back.

No reincarnation this time.

Once he drops dead here, it's all over.

Accepting that, the boy can only reflect on everything. His thoughts loosely echoed in his mind.

(Ah, I really tried my best, didn't I?)

(Come to think of it, why am I trying so hard?)

(What was I trying to just get a hit right into her face?)

(She's too strong. I'm weak. I should know that. I should've just stayed back and let Kamito handle it.)

(Boosted Gear is only a support-type, isn't it? Support should be my only role.)

(Why did I try to take her on? Be a hero?)

(It makes no sense. Her words just pissed me off and my body just moved on its own.)

(Ah, there must be something wrong with me. I must be broken somewhere. I suppose I can only blame Kamito for this.)

(He's always so cool. That damned good-looking bastard. It seems at every oppurtunity, that guy makes me want to be just like him.)

(...Hey, how was it? My first time pulling a 'Kamito'? It's probably my last time though and I failed so epically. I really am uncool...)

"At times like this, are we supposed to pray to God?"

Suddenly that slipped out of my mouth without realising it.

"?"

Raynare seems puzzled. But Issei continues to talk.

"But God is no good. He didn't listen to me before, and he didn't even help a good girl like Asia at all. Hahaha, such a useless God."

"I wonder what you are trying to say. Did you finally break?"

"Then, him. Maou-sama, will you listen to my wish? You exist, right? Are you listening? I'm also a Devil, so will you listen to my wish?"

"…He's totally lost it. This boy is talking to himself in a place like this. This guy's too pitiful now. I'm starting to feel sorry for him. Well then..."

Raynare conjures up another spear of light in her hand.

"...Time to put this puppy out of his misery."

Once she throws that, Issei will certainly die.

Once that spear pierces his body, it'll be all over for him.

His mind would give into the pain, dying before his body succumbs to his wounds.

Perhaps it was the pain numbing his mind but Issei felt really calm when he looked upon that spear of light.

(Ah, so I'm going to die here, huh?)

(It sucks how I'm going to die a virgin.)

(I really...would've liked to have grab some oppai before I die though.)

(I wonder...if that Fallen Angel will at least show me her big oppai before killing me?)

(Yeah, right...)

(Oh, I should probably return that DVD I lent to Matsuda.)

(And I gotta get rid of my porno mag's before Mum finds them.)

"...Die."

Raynare tosses the spear and at the very least moment, a fire lit in Issei's heart.

(I...I don't want to die!)

Issei waits for the final blow...

But it never came.

Slowly, he opens his eyes.

"...Huh?"

"You were really cool there, you know. Perhaps your dream of being Harem King may be possible yet. You've done your part, now let me take it from here."

There is a boy standing in front of him.

His left hand wrapped around a black sword that lets out sparks of black lightning.

A cloud of light particles surround a section on the face of the blade where the spear struck.

The magic circle on his left hand was emitting a violet light so bright that it illuminated the boy's profile in a sinister hue.

"...K-Kamito...!"

The boy pants heavily, regaining his senses at the very last second.

He comes in, blocking the spear of light at the last possible moments.

The timing was too close. Had he remained in his trance even a moment longer, Issei would've been killed.

"I will never go back to who I was. This time, I will protect my friends!"

Kamito proclaims with determination.

Never again.

He will never allow it again.

He will never fail to protect his comrades again.

He swears this in his heart and then the flames of desire burned in his soul.

-Desire.

His Sacred Gear reacts to his desire to protect his friends.

It scattered the darkness that possessed his soul.

It returned his heart to him.

His eyes focused solely on Raynare, readying his sword which radiates a violent aura of purple lightning.

The purple lightning surging around his left hand should've harmed him.

Instead, he only feels power coursing through his nerves where the lightning zaps him.

Vorpal Sword keeps emanating a powerful aura of violet lightning.

He had never seen so much power until tonight.

"...I see. So this is your true power. I had no idea."

He talks to his sword, as if it was sentient.

He gazes up at Raynare and calmly speaks,

"It's over, Raynare. Like I am now, you can't beat me."

"Huh!? Why are you acting all high-and-mighty all of a sudden? Did you forget? I can stop your movements with a single word!"

Raynare merely scoffs. She lets out an arrogant laugh while sneering at him.

It was sad but it seems her fun time has came to an end. It was a shame because she enjoyed torturing him mentally with her bewitching words.

She couldn't stop her excitement as she simply stared on while licking her fingers.

With a sadistic smile on her face, she expresses that word with euphoria.

"Euthanasia."

"..."

After a brief pause, Kamito takes a step forward.

And another step.

And another step.

And another step.

He walks at a slow, ominous pace.

Wait, he technically shouldn't be moving at all.

Raynare couldn't contain her shock.

"H-How are you still moving!? Euthanasia! Euthanasia! Euthanasia!"

She screams the words out at a rapid pace, screaming louder and louder with each iteration.

Did he not hear her?

No, that shouldn't matter. It was impossible not to hear from this distance.

No matter how quiet it was, if the full word was detected by the ear, the paralysis should've taken effect immediately.

That last time she had said this, he was paralyzed completely the very next instant.

Developing resistance is impossible. The hypnotic suggestion was engraved deep into his brain.

Similar to how a person naturally reacts when hearing their name getting called, Kamito should've reacted reflexively to the trigger word.

But he didn't, and Raynare was beginning to panic.

"W-What's going on!? This shouldn't be happening! How in the world are you still moving!?"

Kamito didn't answer. He simply walked forward at a leisurely pace.

Or rather, he couldn't answer her.

Drops of blood were falling at the side of his feet.

Each time his feet touched the ground, several drops of blood followed.

"Blood?"

Raynare's eyes follows the path made by the fallen blood drops that continuously splattered against the ground.

She traces them back to Kamito's bloodied earlobes.

Raynare's eyes widened as the fear and anxiety in her mind starts to overwhelm her.

"No way...You...YOU PIERCED YOUR OWN EARDRUMS!?"

Raynare completely froze up upon realizing that.

Of course, that was the answer. The word has no effect on him if he cannot hear it. By self-destructing his own eardrums, sounds cannot be picked up and transmitted to the brain. Therefore, the trigger will have no effect on him.

"You-You're insane!"

Raynare cries out with a shrill voice. With the only weapon she has against him rendered ineffective, she began to cower with fright when being gazed upon by those cold, emotionless eyes.

Step.

Step. Step.

Blood continues to leak out from his ears, dropping to the ground.

He ignores the pain that was pounding into his brain as a result of destroying his eardrums.

One strike. He intends to finish this fight with a single attack.

Kamito continues to walk forward ominously and with each second that passes, boundless fear was beaten into Raynare's skull.

The difference of power between them became horrifyingly obvious.

Without that trigger word, Raynare was left with no weapons to fight. It was like fighting a lion with only her bare hands.

Like she was staring at a monster that was about to devour her or the grim reaper has come to drag her to hell, Raynare kept trembling with senseless fright.

Scary.

This boy is scary.

No aura came from his body.

But his cold, killing gaze didn't show even the slightest of emotions.

It was impossible to tell what this boy was thinking.

Perhaps that's what terrified her the most.

Not his sword, not his power but just those cold eyes steadily creeping up to her.

"N-No! Stay away from me! Stay back!"

Her mind losing all rationality, Raynare hysterically began tossing spears of light towards Kamito.

Spears of light were being generated and thrown at a continuous pace.

Not a single one was able to reach Kamito's body.

Raising his sword up, Kamito swipes it across and shatters the spear of light with a single swing.

"T-That's impossible...!"

The weapon in his hand was no doubt a demonic sword. A darkness elemental one at that.

Such a weapon should not be able to stand against her spears of light.

She throws another spear. Kamito destroys it with anoter swipe with his sword.

She throws another and another and Kamito destroys them again with his sword.

"Why? Why aren't my attacks working on you!? A low-class Devil shouldn't be able to destroy my spears of light! Just what is that sword? Why can you destroy my spears like this?!"

Kamito slices his blade across, destroying two more spears of light by shattering them with a single swipe.

Using his lip-reading skill, Kamito translates her words and answered,

"There's no real reason. You're right; this sword is a demonic sword with a darkness element. Holy light is its natural enemy. However..."

Kamito gives Raynare a fierce, quiet glare without even blinking.

"Compared to the darkness emanating from my sword, your spears of light is too weak ."

Kamito cuts through another spear of light thrown by Raynare, having grown tired of this game which had suddenly become boring.

Darkness so dense and powerful that it can overwhelm her holy light.

Such a thing was unheard of. Raynare couldn't believe it.

"…Impossible. What is this? Why is something like this happening…? Just what in the world is that sword? …It can't be. It's not possible. Why has your power surpassed mine…? This wave of demonic-power I'm feeling... is that of a Middle-class…no, that of a High-class Devil…Just who are you?"

_(Kamito-san is a good person.)_

_(__Kamito, no matter what you decide to do, no matter the path you decide to follow or the person you decide to become, you will always be my cute servant. Don't ever forget that.)_

(I will never forget it.)

Kamito answers Raynare's fear with infinitely deep eyes.

"I am Rias Gremory's [Pawn]!"

Vorpal Sword was continuously howling in his hand.

It craves battle.

Raynare, her eyes in completel denial and disbelief, furiously shakes her head while staring at Kamito with a deep-rooted fear lodged in her eyes.

"Lies! This is all lies! I am the Fallen Angel that has attained the ultimate healing power! I turned into a superior being by obtaining this [Twilight Healing]! I received the right to be loved by Azazel-sama and Shemhaza-sama! I wouldn't lose to some low-life like you!"

Raynare materialized spears of light in both of her hands one last time.

Once again, Kamito cuts through it using the Vorpal Sword, shattering it easily.

"Doing this for love, huh? Sounds awfully romantic. I hope you're prepared to die for that love."

Raynare's face becomes even paler.

"N-No!"

Raynare is flapping her black wings, and is about to fly away.

Her air of arrogant superiority vanished into thin air.

Realizing her opponent is too strong, Raynare tries to escape through the air in a cowardly manner.

Kamito had no intention of letting her escape this time.

Raynare shouts out in a crazed frenzy.

"You're just a low-class Devil! I'm superior! I'm-!"

"-Too slow."

It all happened in an instant

Kamito vanishes from where he stood, suddenly moving at a godlike speed.

A flash of violet lightning cuts across the room, aiming towards Raynare's chest.

"Absolute Blade Arts, First Form [Purple Lightning]!"

His sword released all of its energy with that one attack, concentrating at the tip of his blade.

A thrust like lightning strikes her chest.

Before the blade could pierce through, all the violet lightning from the sword exploded from the tip of his blade, releasing a blast of lightning that blasts Raynare away.

The erupted energy from his sword released a massive shockwave that shattered all the stained glass windows of the Church.

Raynare was sent flying backwards by the explosion.

She crashes into a wall, causing a very loud noise.

The wall broke and there is a big hole in the wall. Dust starts to spread everywhere.

The dust scatters, leaving nothing behind.

The hole in the wall continues till outside the building where Raynare lays on the ground.

She isn't moving. Whether she was dead or not, it was clear she wouldn't be able to move for a while.

Kamito slashes his sword down, scattering the left over violet energy crackling along his blade.

Spinning the handle once, Kamito calmly slides the blade back into its sheath.

"..I win."

Despite his solemn words, he did not have the face of one who has achieved victory.

He had a quiet, sullen look.

He did not smile nor did he feel better after using an Absolute Blade Art.

Even in his heart, he did not feel joy.

Because even after victory, he still could not forgive himself.

After sliding his sword back into its scabbard, all he was left with was silence.

**Part 6**

"Hey, can you stand?"

"Y-Yeah, just barely…."

Kamito lends Issei a shoulder to help him stand up. With one look of the wounds on his leg, Kamito whistles through his nose.

"You're made of some sturdy stuff to even be moving with wounds like that."

"I-Is that so?"

Issei directs his eyes towards the hole in the church's wall. Through that hole, he can see his ex-girlfriend motionlessly lying on the ground with no signs of waking.

"Did you…?"

"Huh? Oh, her. I held back quite a bit and simply blasted her with my before I pierced her with my sword so unless she's actually weaker than I thought, she should be fine."

"….H-Huh? Why?"

"I just didn't find her to be worth killing, let alone using all my power against her."

Issei fumbles with his words. Kamito casually admits he was deliberately holding back, despite the incredible power he showed.

This made Issei wonder what kind of power he's able to unleash once unrestrained.

Issei shakes his head in disbelief.

"….Kiba is right. You are strong. An absolute monster."

"It seems I've been getting that a lot lately."

Once the pains in Issei's legs were finally numb and he gathers enough strength to stand, Issei lets go of his shoulder.

He turns towards Kamito, asking,

"But, if you have this kind of power, why not use it then?"

"….."

After some slience-

"Well, even if you have all the power in the world, it doesn't mean you can control it, right? Sometimes, you'll end up doing more harm than good."

The way Kamito speaks, it's as if he came from experience.

Issei quietly nods his head after hearing his reply.

"I think I get it…."

Vorpal Sword begins to flash a violet shine before dematerializing back into Kamito's magic circle.

The piercing shine that was once emanating from the seal on his left hand slowly dies down.

At the same time, the power coursed through his body left sooner than it came.

His body slanted, his shoulders began to feel incredibly heavy.

It seems the Vorpal sword had managed to voraciously eat up all of his demonic power.

"Damn, it never tired me this much."

Before his body could drop, a hand grips on his shoulder, supporting it up just enough for him to stand.

When Kamito looked over, he saw Yuuto carrying his shoulder with smile, supporting him.

Even Yuuto looked a little torn up.

"You look like you had it rough, Yuuto."

"Fufufu, that's nothing compared to you, senpai."

Kamito could not actually hear him at the moment.

He was using his lip-reading skill to converse with them while his eardrums have yet to be healed.

"I keep telling you, I'm not….Whatever, I'm too tired to argue with you about this."

"But, it's really surprising though. To think the Fallen Angels had a failsafe implanted in your brain that could paralyze you. I was a little worried for a second."

"…Wait, if you saw all that, then….."

Yuuto wears a handsome smile on his face.

Something about this lady-killer smile of his being directed towards Kamito somehow unnerved him in an unpleasant way.

"Your Absolute Blade Arts are truly a sight to behold. Was that a result of your training? Will you teach it to me sometime?"

His words basically translate to 'I saw the whole thing'.

"You…! If you were around that whole time then you should've come out and helped then."

"Fufufu, Buchou told me not to interfere."

"That's right. I believed that you were able to beat the Fallen Angel Raynare."

Kamito's body was turned around to where the voice came from with Yuuto's help. Rias is walking towards him smiling while waving her crimson hair.

"Ahh, Buchou. I didn't think you'd come here too."

"I had business that I had to finish in the basement, so I used the magic-circle to come here. It was my first time transporting to a Church, so I was nervous."

Rias makes a sigh while talking to Kamito.

She came from downstairs along with Yuuto and the others.

The exorcists were annihilated, not standing a chance with Rias as their opponent.

Koneko walks past Kamito's limpid body and Rias stands before him.

"Looks like you won safely."

"Y-Yeah, more or less…."

Rias sinks her shoulders with a troubled smile on her face.

"Honestly, what am I going to do with you? I wish you had told me about your condition beforehand. Then, you wouldn't have had to ruin your cute ears like this."

With a sad face, Rias delicately strokes the bloodied edge of Kamito's ear with her finger, as if trying to wipe the blood away.

"Honestly, if you had said something sooner than Akeno and I would've done something and you wouldn't have to puncture your own eardrums."

"S-Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else that would work."

"Well, I suppose it can't be helped. That's just how you are. But Kamito, don't do these things again. You won't last long if you continue with these self-destructive methods and I will be troubled if my servant keeps getting hurt like this."

"I will…."

Then, Rias' face softens into a lighter smile.

"Fufufu, excellent. Just what I expected from my servant."

She playfully taps his nose.

"Ara ara. The Church is in a mess. Buchou, is it alright?"

Akeno has a troubled face.

"…Is something wrong?"

Issei asks Buchou timidly.

"Church's belong to God or religions related to him, but there are cases like this where it is used by Fallen Angels. In cases like this, if we Devils damage the Church, there will be times when we get targeted by assassins. For revenge and payback."

"S-Seriously?"

"Oops. Forgot about that."

Kamito nervously scratches his face, having just forgotten that one important fact.

He was also the one that destroyed all the windows too because of the force that came from his powered up Blade Art.

"But it won't happen this time?"

"Why is that?"

Issei asks curiously and Rias calmly answers,

"This Church was originally an abandoned one. So a certain group of Fallen Angels had come here to use it for their own greed, and we just happened to have a fight in a place like that. So we didn't step foot on the enemies' actual territory to have war. So it's just a small fight between a Devil and a Fallen Angel. This happens every time. That's what happened."

"Buchou. I've brought it."

The one who appeared while making a sound of dragging something is Koneko.

She appeared from the broken wall, and what she is dragging is a black wing, Fallen Angel Raynare.

She said that she brought it, though.

Her choices of words were unique indeed.

"Thank you, Koneko. Now then, let's wake her up. Akeno."

"Yes."

Akeno lifts her head up. Using magic, she made water suddenly appear up into the air.

The created water falls and splashes right onto Raynare.

Raynare coughs after the splash.

The Fallen Angel wakes up and opens her eyes slowly. Rias looks down on her.

"How are you doing, Fallen Angel Raynare."

"…The daughter of the Gremory clan…"

"Hello, my name is Rias Gremory. I'm the next heir of the House of Gremory. It will be for a short while, but nice to have your acquaintance."

Rias greets her with a smile, but Raynare glares at her.

Then she sneers.

"…You think you've got me, but too bad. This plan was kept secret from the higher-ups, but there are other Fallen Angels with me. If I get in danger, they will—"

"They won't come to help."

Rias says it clearly to reject Raynare's words.

"That's because I already eliminated all three of the Fallen Angel Kalawana, Fallen Angel Donaseek, and Fallen Angel Mitelt."

"Lies!"

Raynare rejects her claim while sitting up straight.

Prompted, she takes out three black feathers.

"These are the feathers of those three. You can tell them apart since you are the same kind as them, right?"

Seeing that, Raynare's expression darkens.

"When I heard about the Fallen Angels hiding somewhere in town, I predicted that there were a few Fallen Angels plotting something in this town. I ignored it because I thought it was a plan that involves the whole Fallen Angel. Even I'm not foolish enough to take on all of the Fallen Angels. Then I heard that the Fallen Angels were moving around secretively so I went to talk to them, taking Akeno with me. When I met them in person, they blurted that it was their own plan. By helping you, they said, they would get promoted to a higher status. Low life that move around secretively for their purpose usually brag about their plots."

Rias smirks.

Raynare is biting her teeth with frustration.

"They must have looked down on us because it was just two girls who approached them. So I asked them as a parting gift. Fufufu, they were foolish Fallen Angels who didn't know who was going to die. Since they were willing to help in your pathetic plot, they themselves were low beings."

Her charming laugh coupled with her words was a bit of a scary sight.

Once her lips telegraphed the words to Kamito, he lets out a sigh,

(And she berates me for being dishonest.)

"Getting hit by a single shot won't even leave a trace. The princess of the Duke who has the power of destruction. Buchou is a powerful Devil who is called a genius among the group of young Devils after all."

Yuuto makes a comment to praise his master.

"She is also called the "Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess", you know?"

Akeno says it while smiling.

Issei's jaw was gaped wide open, and his eyes popped out very wide.

"H-Huh!? W-Wait, Crimson-haired Princess!? This is the first I've heard about this! Hey, Kamito! What's the meaning of this?! Why am I hearing about this now!?"

Issei yells towards Kamito, who couldn't hear him anyways.

However, his expression was enough to read and upon interpreting his question, Kamito merely shrugs his shoulders.

"…..I guess I forgot."

He answers with a straight face.

It took everything Issei had to not collapse on his weak knees.

Hunching his body forward, he sighs.

"Unbelievable….Ruin Princess…What a scay nickname. So that makes me a part of the Ruin Princess' group. Terrifying."

Kamito shrugs his shoulders again.

"…It's not too bad."

He responds quietly.

Rias looks towards Kamito's left hand, at the seal engraved on the face of his hand.

"….I see, so you've finally found your desire, haven't you, Kamito? With this, Vorpal Sword can reach its full potential."

With relief in her voice, Rias' eyes were sparkling with quiet delight.

"I suppose one would never recognize the sword since its appearance change to the user's preference."

Rias says it quietly.

"Fallen Angel. Kazehaya Kamito's sword is no ordinary demon sword. That's why you never could've beaten him."

Raynare has a puzzled face upon hearing Rias.

"-[Vorpal Sword], a Sacred Gear that is said to be the rarest of the rare. The seal on his left hand is the evidence."

After listening to Rias, Raynares puts on a very shocked expression.

"V-Vorpal Sword….One of the [Longinus]…It is said that once mastered, it has the power to surpass Maous and God….Are you telling me that hateful power is possessed in a boy like this?!"

"It's just like the legend is told. [The Sword That Pierces Truth], the Vorpal Sword is the most powerful magic-based demonic sword in existence. Possessing incredible magical capabilities akin to a Maou, this sword is capable of performing the most powerful and dangerous dark magic that could destroy even leader-class Fallen Angels and High-Class Devils. By mastering it, he could even kill God."

"A-Are you serious, Buchou!? Kamito can kill even a god!?"

Issei was shocked again. He always knew that Kamito is strong.

But he never expected he had the power to slay even God.

"Hey, Kamito! Why didn't you tell me that your Sacred Gear is some uber-powerful God-slayer!?"

Kamito shrugs his shoulder, and gives him a straight answer.

"….I forgot that too."

"How could your forget something so important!?"

So the only reason Kamito's sword of darkness could overwhelm Raynare's spears of light despite the bad affinity, was simply because his darkness was stronger than her light.

It was weak earlier because as Rias puts it, Kamito lacked 'desire' to unleash more of its power. However, now that he was able to get in touch with his own desire, Vorpal Sword's power has increased dramatically during his fight with Raynare, evidenced by the overflowing coming out from his blade.

Issei had witnessed for himself the kind of power his sword as demonstrated, despite 'holding back'.

What a powerful Sacred Gear…

Issei looks at the seal on Kamito's left hand fearfully.

Vorpal Sword. Kamito's Sacred Gear. He had seen for himself, just how incredible it is.

"Well, no matter how powerful it is, if one can't control that power than it'll do more harm to the user than their enemies. Since Kamito held back in using his sword, this was the outcome."

Rias' eyes scanned over the entire Church, where shards of the stained glass window covered the floors everywhere.

Certainly, Kamito had no confidence that he could control his Sacred Gear if he used its full power.

In fact, he's certain that he did, he would get vaporized by his own attack, killing him instantly.

That was the problem with powerful Sacred Gears.

Their weakness is their owners.

Rias approaches him. A nice scent from her crimson hair wafted into Kamito's face.

Rias starts to pat his head.

"I expect nothing less from you. At this point, I'm certain that you will only become stronger and stronger. I'm going to adore you even more."

Rias puts on a nice smile. But it looked a little bit scary.

"….Buchou."

"What is it?"

Rias is smiling.

Kamito lowers his head with shame and apologizes,

"I'm sorry. Even though you are my master, I've done nothing but disobey your orders and went off on my own. In the end, I couldn't even save her by myself either. I failed. Even though you helped us, I…."

He just wanted to apologize.

To the very master he's sworn his life to, the very master whom he's brought nothing but trouble upon.

Although he had sworn to himself to always repay the debt he owes her, all he has done was trouble her with his own selfish agenda.

Rias was still patting his head.

She raised Kamito's chin with her fingertip, bringing the boy's face up to hers.

"Of course. You wouldn't be Kamito otherwise if you simply turned a blind eye to this simply because I told you to. I could never blame you for something like this. So long as you made it out alive, that's all that matters to me."

"I caused a lot of trouble for you, though. I put everyone in danger. Someone like me shouldn't…"

Kamito suddenly stops talking.

Or rather, he was suddenly forced to stop as Rias places her finger gently on his lips.

"I told you, didn't I? I always said that you'll always by my servant. And it is my duty as your Master to always look after you, no matter what. Nothing will ever change that."

Rias touches Kamito's face gently, who quietly whispers,

"…Thank you."

He truly is blessed to have met her.

For her sake, he will work hard and become stronger.

Kamito silently swore this in his heart.

"Now then, I'll finish my last work."

Rias' eyes become sharp and ruthless.

Rias got close to Raynare.

The Fallen Angel becomes scared.

"I will have you disappear, Fallen Angel-san."

It's a cold tone. It's filled with killing intent.

"Of course, I will retrieve that Sacred Gear back as well."

"Y-You can't be serious!? This healing power is for Azazel-sama and Shemhaza-sama—"

"To live your life for love is beautiful. But you are too tainted with dirt. You have no elegance. And I don't allow that."

Rias aims her hand towards Raynare.

She intends to kill her with a single blow.

"Me, here."

Then, a shadow appears from behind the broken wall.

The Priest—, Freed Zelzan.

"Wow! My superior is in serious danger! So what's going to happen now!?"

Raynare screams at the appearance of the Priest:

"Save me! If you save me, I will give you a reward or anything you want!"

Freed makes a sadistic smile.

"Hmm, hmm. I received a wonderful order from an Angel-sama. Eh? So I can have sex with you? To me, having sex with an Angel-sama is like the best honour and it will become a good social status for me."

"Ku… D-Don't fool around and save me!"

The Fallen Angel's expression is filled with anger. It also seems like she's in a rush.

No, she is in a rush. She probably thinks that, "A mere human won't betray me".

"Ararararara, you know that I'm actually serious… I mean, something simple like that should be all right, isn't it, Angel-sama? So it's a no? Is that so? Then I will take my leave now. No matter how you look at it, I'm at a disadvantage, so I will just take off."

Freed says it in a funny tone while curling his body.

"Y-You are a Priest, aren't you!? You are supposed to save me! I'm an all mighty Fallen Angel! I—"

"I don't need a superior who loses to trashy Devils. You are pretty, but you lack plans and you are hard headed. The only thing you are useful for is masturbation. So just die away already. Well, a Fallen Angel who is abandoned by God won't go to either Heaven or Hell, but goes back to nothing. Maybe the experience of turning into nothing will be helpful? Ah, that's impossible. Since there will be nothing left. It's impossible. So namusan. Wait, that's Buddhism. Ah, I'm a former Christian! I'm such a naughty boy!"

After saying that, he moves his sight elsewhere, as if he has lost interest in Raynare.

With that, Raynare put on an expression of despair.

She looks miserable. Is this the fate of the Fallen Angel who sought for power and causing a rampage?

Freed makes a big smile towards Kamito.

"Kamito-kun, Kamito-kun. You have such wonderful abilities. Your punch from earlier is going to have me shitting blood for weeks. As expected of the Devil Killer that I have so much respect in. I'm getting more and more interested in you. You are so worthy to kill. You are definitely at the Top of my "Devils I want to kill" list, so be prepared, okay? Next time we meet, let's have a romantic fight to the death, okay? I'm gonna kill you and take your mantle of 'Devil Killer' for myself, ok?"

"…..:

Kamito had no clue on what the mad priest was saying.

Perhaps it was the irregular movement of his lips or his outstretched tongue that reminds him of wiggling worm, but he can't read this priest's lips at all.

But he can't deny the cold feeling running through his back.

This priest is smiling with an extreme killing intent.

"See ya then! Bye-bye! Remember to brush your teeth!"

Freed disappears immediately from the scene after waving his hand.

He seemed like a master of making quick escapes. He expected no less from a cowardly man as nuts as he is.

Kamito is certain that he will see that person again, hopefully with a straightjacket and maybe even a muzzle.

Although, he'd much prefer it if he never sees that guy again.

Being the object of obsession for a priest as mad as that, does not make Kamito happy.

"…That guy needs to himself a more pleasant hobby."

He says with a heavy sigh coming from his mouth.

"Now, Fallen Angel Raynare, who was abandoned by her own servant. Miserable."

Rias didn't even have the slightest sympathy in her tone.

Raynare starts to shiver.

"..."

Issei simply looks on at Raynare with sympathetic eyes.

Perhaps the reason for that because she was his ex-girlfriend 'Amano Yuuma'.

This woman, she may have deceived him, killed him and caused a lot of grief for his friends.

But he did cherish her during their time together. Although it was just an act, the time he spent with her was real, along with his feelings.

At the time, Issei really did want to make 'Amano Yuuma' happy.

Raynare then looks at Issei. She then makes sorrowful eyes.

"Issei-kun! Please save me!"

Her voice is that of Amano Yuuma, when she was his girlfriend.

"This Devil is trying to kill me! I love you! I love you so much! That's why, let's defeat this Devil together!"

While pretending to be Yuuma, she begs for his help with tears falling down her eyes.

Issei can feel his heart aching. A suffocating pain envelops him, like he was drowning in the very depths of the ocean.

He tries to repress the feelings inside him, the emotions that stood between the lines of sympathy and pity.

The girl who killed him was now pathetically begging for her life.

Issei hated himself for letting his heart waver for even a moment. He felt stupid for feeling sorry for her.

His mind at a loss, Issei lets out a whimper,

"...Hey, Kamito...What should I do?"

The boy's heart is faltering. Kamito did not need ears to understand the kind of turmoil his friend is experiencing.

Guessing his words, Kamito simply answers,

"...Who knows. Things like this, it's hard to say what the right answer is. You need to figure the answer out for yourself."

"I see..."

There's no telling what will happen if she is let free.

Also, Issei cannot forgive this woman for everything she did.

"Goodbye, my love. Buchou, I'm at my limit… Will you please…"

Hearing that, the Fallen Angel's expression froze.

"...Don't try to flirt with my servant. Blow away."

Rias fires a wave of demonic power that completely devours the Fallen Angel.

One last painful shriek shook the entire Church, causing Issei's heart to flinch.

The sound of his girlfriend Amano Yuuma screaming in pain was left in his ears.

From where Rias fired the mass of demonic power, not even a grain of dust remained.

Issei was left with a mysterious feeling and the black feathers floating around the Church.

Kamito simply shifts his eyes, giving a deep, knowing look towards Issei.

As if he understood something, he asks Issei a strange question.

"Wanna go get some ramen? It'll be my treat."

"...Sure."

**Part 7**

A green light is floating in the sanctuary.

It's Asia's Sacred Gear.

After Raynare was defeated, it got released.

The warm light shines down on everyone.

Rias takes the light to her hand.

"Now let's give this back to Asia Argento-san."

Kamito's eyes snapped wide open as a surprised gasp comes out from him.

"...! Buchou...! You don't mean..."

"Yes, I will revive Asia Argento right now."

Rias takes out something from her pocket.

Crimson-

It's a red colour like blood and it's a chess piece that has the same color as Rias' hair.

To be precise, it was a Bishop.

"I still have one [Bishop] piece left. I will use it to bring back Asia Argento-san and add her into our group."

"H-Hold on. Is this really a good idea? It's your last [Bishop]. And even if we bring her back, as a Devil..."

"She will no doubt continue to endure my trials and tribulations, which could be even worse due to her previous status as a servant of God but it's better than the alternative. Kamito, you of all people should know that death is no salvation."

"..."

Undissuaded by Kamito's remark, Rias then walks towards Asia while holding the crimson chess piece in her hand.

She places it on the now deceased Asia's chest.

"The [Bishop]'s role is to support the other members of the group. This girl's healing power could be useful as a [Bishop]. It never happened before, but I will reincarnate this girl as a Devil."

"Buchou..."

"Her status as the 'Holy Maiden' means nothing to me. What matters is her abilities and what she could do for our group. Also..."

Rias turns around, showing Kamito a beautiful smile.

"...She's your important friend, isn't she? So long as my Kamito is happy, then that's all that really matters."

"...Thank you."

Kamito humbly bows his head, expressing his sincerest gratitude.

Truly, he's thankful to have such a kind-hearted master.

Now, he'll be able to keep his promise to that girl.

Rias simply smiles but her eyes looked a little pouty.

(A woman's heart sure is a troublesome thing...)

A crimson demonic power surrounds Rias' body.

"I order, in my name Rias Gremory. You, Asia Argento. I, resurrect you back to this soil as my servant, and have you reborn as a Devil. You, my [Bishop], be delighted with your new life!"

The crimson chess piece glows and goes inside Asia's body. At the same time, Asia's Sacred Gear goes back inside her body.

The demonic aurar around Rias ceases after confirming that the chess piece and the Sacre Gear went inside Asia's body.

Rias lets out a sigh.

Kamito steps up and looks towards Asia in a daze.

After a short while, Asia opens her eyes.

Kamito can feel a lightness in his heart.

"Huh?"

Asia's voice.

A voice that shouldn't have been heard again.

Rias gives Kamito a warm smile.

"Her power to heal Devils will definitely by an asset to a group. Fufufu, Kamito, now you'll be able to keep your promise to her. I'll leave it to you to teach Asia Argento what it means to be a Devil."

"Ah, this again, huh?"

Despite his complaints, Kamito's face wore a small smile.

Whether it's because he was used to playing teacher or he's just relieved that Asia is alive again, Kamito didn't mind the idea of being Asia Devil Instructor. He's already taught Issei all he knows.

Asia raises her upper body. She looks around and finds him.

"...Kamito-san?"

"Welcome back, Asia."

**Part 8**

The day after.

"Oh man! This is good! This is really good! Ramen never tasted so good before in my life! These noodles are just the thing I need to patch up this broken heart!"

After the Raynare incident, Issei seems to have returned to his normal self.

More or less.

Like a single man who has just been dumped, Issei is currently drowning himself in a bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen. Slurping a handful of noodles in his mouth, Issei was literally crying into his bowl with his tears adding unnecessary flavor to his soup.

His order, which consists of a large bowl with a half-a-dozen boiled eggs, caused Kamito to let out a heavy sigh.

"I know I said I was going to treat you, but please show some restraint."

The two head to a Ramen Bar somewhere in town. Taking a seat right in front of the chefs, Kamito did what he could to comfort his friend who is still recovering from the midst of arguably the worst breakup possible.

Well, to call it a mere 'breakup' was hardly appropriate.

Kamito's choice to take Issei out to get ramen was simple:

If there's anything that a man needed to satisy his heart, it would be food.

Or in Issei's case, a marathon of watching porno-videos all night long and no way Kamito was going to take that path.

"T-The soup here is r-really salty! I-It's making me cry!"

"That's because you keep crying into your soup."

While his chopsticks gripped on to the noodles of his Shoyu Ramen, Kamito sighs again.

(I never thought Issei could be one of those despair-eater types.)

While thinking unnecessary thoughts like that, Kamito's eyes accidentally lowered towards his bowl.

He can see his own distorted reflection on the surface of the clear broth.

"..."

Somehow looking at his own twisted face reminded him of something unpleasant.

Even though the incident was over, there was something he just couldn't shake off from it.

_-Reject all of it-!_

_-Unleash your judgement on the world that betrayed you-!_

_-Let the world know how much you suffered-!_

_-Let your pain engulf it-!_

_-Crush anyone that dare opposes you-!_

Those dark words, expressed with that alluring voice.

The voice, empowered by darkness, that poisoned his rationality.

He did not imagine it. He definitely heard it somewhere in his mind.

And he felt something else.

Something dark. Something powerful. Something terrifying.

It was a darkness. A darkness he couldn't describe. A darkness that threatened to consume his soul.

The reason he could not help Issei during his fight with Raynare sooner was simple:

The voice in his head that was not his own froze him.

His mind was cut away from his body.

He struggled against the voice and the dark emotions that almost overwhelmed him.

That was the reason.

(What was that...?)

The voice he heard in his head, where did it come from? Whose voice was that?

And what was that horrifyingly dark power that accompanied the voice?

"...? Kamito? Are you okay? You look like you're spacing out there."

The sound of Issei's voice breaks Kamito's trance.

"H-Huh?"

Kamito blinks his eyes a few times and shakes his head a few times.

"I-It's nothing..."

Yeah, it was nothing.

The voice he heard was just a figment of his imagination. That's all.

Kamito tells himself that over and over.

He quickly finishes up his bowl, drinks all the soup and places the bowl down onto the table.

"Thanks for the meal."

Giving his compliments to the chef, Kamito places the money for both his and Issei's bowl onto the table.

**Part 9**

"Ara, so you came on time."

As soon as Kamito enters the clubroom, Rias greets him.

She was the only one present.

He was told they were to have a meeting in the morning.

Rias is sitting on the sofa, drinking green-tea elegantly.

"Good Morning, Buchou."

Rias looks a little displeased and she gives a look towards Kamito.

"Hey, Kamito. I thought I told you to call me 'Rias' when we are alone."

"Even though we are in the clubroom at school?"

"Especially if we are at school."

"Hah, I wonder if I should just call you Rias-buchou or something just to avoid the headache."

Kamito scratches his head while giving a tired sigh.

Rias' raises a brow curiously,

"That reminds me. How did your trip to the psychotherapy go?"

"Ah, the doctor said that he should've removed all the hypnotic suggestions that the Instructional School Directors programmed into my brain."

For the past few days, Kamito had been attending a few sessions with a few Psychotherapists, hypnotists and Devil Magic experts in the Underworld to help remove all the hypnotic suggestions that were installed into his brain, to ensure Fallen Angels like Raynare would never use them against him again.

These professionals were all affiliates and close friends to the Gremory Family so it was easy for Rias to make the arrangements to cure Kamito of his conditions.

After a few days straight of therapy sessions, hypnotism and brain surgery involving a special form of Devil magic, it seems he's finally cured.

He did not understand the details but it seems the brainwashing treatment managed to wipe out the portion of his brain's mental capacity that contained the deadly keywords incorporated into him by the Fallen Angels.

How this affects the other parts of his mental capabilities have yet to be seen.

"Well, I'm certainly relieved that they were able to fix you. By the way, I'm guessing that your ears are healed up too."

"Yes, they're completely healed thanks to Asia."

"Is that so? It seems like that girl's healing power is something you can't ignore. I can see why a single Fallen Angel would desire it, even by keeping it a secret from her superiors."

Kamito sits on the sofa opposite of Rias.

"That aside, our group has certainly grown, hasn't it? Another Pawn worth 4 pieces and a Bishop. So if I'm right, we still need...another Rook, and another Knight, right?"

"Yes, we should have a full Peerage soon. It's sad to say but it seems like all we could have now are two members."

"Still our options are limited and even once completed, we are seriously under-manned at the moment."

With both Issei and Kamito taking 4 pawn pieces each, it meant they have six less Pawns than a typical Peerage, even if they complete their group.

When reincarnating a human to a Devil we use the [Evil Pieces], but depending on the ability of the person being reincarnated, more [Evil Pieces] will be consumed.

Queens have a value of 9 Pawns. Rooks have a value of 5 Pawns. Knights and Bishops have a value of 3 Pawns each. Like this, there are standard values that also apply to the Evil Pieces. A similar phenomenon happens to those reincarnated. If there are those who can only be reincarnated with 2 Knight pieces, then there are also those who need 2 Rook pieces to be reincarnated. There's also the compatibility with the pieces as well. You can't use 2 separate Pieces to give them different roles, so it's important to think how to use the pieces. Once you use it, Devils won't be given a new [Evil Pieces].

In a contest of numbers, the Gremory Group is at a severe disadvantage.

But Rias shakes her head.

"It'll be fine. The only [Pawn] I really need is you, Kamito."

"Huh? Uh, I see..."

When he heards words like that, he can't help but turn a little red with embarrassment.

Scratching his cheek, Kamito was at a loss at what to say to her.

Rias wears a warm smile,

"Do you remember the day I told you to be my servant? I was even prepared to use all 8 of my [Pawn] pieces if I have to in order to make you mine. However, you then made your choice: to seal away half your potential in order to distance yourself from your past."

"Y-Yeah..."

Shyly averting his eyes, Kamito wears a sullen expression.

"I thought it would be for the best that I no longer use the power that I used as a Devil Hunter now that I was a Devil."

"I suppose it is just like you to say something like that. Although you are no longer strong as you once were, I still do not regret reincarnating you at all, even with only 4 Pawn Pieces. And when I found out that you possessed the [Vorpal Sword], which is said to be one of the supreme Sacred Gear, the [Longinus], it only made me happier to know that I'm in possession of a powerful servant."

Then Rias seems to recall something. She looks at Kamito with a curious face and asked,

"Now that I think about it, if you possess such a powerful Sacred Gear this whole time, how did cutting your power in half still only allowed 4 [Pawn] Pieces to be used during your reincarnation."

All of a sudden, Kamito froze up and his eyes slowly become wide.

His entire body became rigid.

With stiff lip movements, he began to speak.

Ah, w-well, I-I, uh, kinda, you know, when sealing my power, I, uh...cut my Sacred Gear's power in half?"

"Is something like that even possible?"

"Huh? Uh, y-yeah, of course...Hahahaha..."

The boy was definitely lying. No, it's more like, he's hiding something.

Hiding something from his own master.

That kind of made Rias a little annoyed at his servant's secrecy but she decided to drop it for the time being and lowers her shoulders.

"Well, I suppose if you don't want to tell me right now, it's fine. Your Master is kind enough to wait until you're comfortable enough to speak to me about this willingly. However, Kamito, I hope you're aware but, you can't keep holding back forever. There will come a time where you will have to fight with everything you have."

"...Yeah, I know."

Answering seriously, Kamito nods his head while at the same time, his right hand unconsciously tightens into an overbearing fist.

Throwing out everything she wanted to say to him, Rias' expressions returns to that kind, gentle face she always wore in front of him.

"I have high expectations for you, Kamito. And I'm certain that you will surpass them. I have no doubt in my mind that you will become the strongest. I believe in you. I've believed in you the very moment that I laid eyes on you for the first time. You were the best."

"Even though at the time, I was trying to kill you? I'm amazed that you even kept me alive after what I did."

"I'm not so petty a woman as to hold grudges against people simply because they were after my life. Besides, you were so cute back then, it'd be a waste to be honest if I just let you die."

"...You're a strange one, you know? I honestly can't tell what you're thinking most of the time."

Kamito lets out a painful sigh while lowering his head down with his eyes slightly closed.

He is tired.

He looked like he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

Rias simply smiles happily.

"A woman should be allowed to keep her secrets, right? Especially about her first love..."

She spoke with a quiet voice at the end.

"...Huh?"

Kamito simply raised his head up, eyes wide open.

He was half-asleep just a while ago so he couldn't catch the last part of what she said.

She then pats his cheeks with his fingers.

"We really were a great match, weren't we? "Crimson-Hair Ruin-Princess" and the "Scarlet Blade Dancer"."

"Blade Dancer? Sounds awfully feminine."

"It can't be helped. You really were cute at the time, I honestly thought you were a girl until you spoke to me. But I suppose that's to be expected. After all, you are my adorable servant."

Rias brings her face closer to him.

Then Rias' lips touches Kamito's forward.

"This is a reward. Get stronger."

"A-A-Alright..."

Kamito nods his head with a dazed expression.

Rias' warm, soft lips pressing against his forehead have left the boy's brain a little numb.

He was completely dumbstruck.

Rias' kiss had a lot of tender feelings that were a little soothing.

While he was often granted a kiss on the cheek at times by Rias during the time when they were younger, he still could not figure out how to react each time the girl shows affection towards him.

Probably because he was never trained as to how to face situations like this.

"Umm...B-Buchou?"

Staring deep into Kamito's eyes, Rias' face wore a wry smile.

"I probably should stop adoring you here. The new girl might get jealous of me."

"...Huh?"

Kamito blinks his eyes, even more confused than before.

"K-Kamito-san?"

A voice from behind.

Kamito heard this voice before.

Turning around, he saw Asia Argento, who is trying her very best to smile.

"Asia?"

She looked mad and yet at the same time, she wanted to cry.

"It has to be… R-Rias-buchou is very beautiful, so even Kamito-san will also like her… No, no. I can't think like that! Oh, lord. Please forgive my sinful heart."

Asia made a prayer but she then screams "Auu".

"I have a headache."

Kamito wore a deadpan expression and looks at Asia with half-opened eyes.

"Of course. If a Devil makes a prayer to God, of course it'll hurt."

"Uu, that's right. I turned into a Devil. I can't face God any more."

Asia seems a bit troubled.

"Do you regret it?"

Rias asks Asia.

Asia merely shakes her head.

"No, thank you very much. No matter what situation I am in, I'm happy as long as I am with Kamito-san."

Huh? Me?"

Kamito points a finger towards himself with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Hearing that, Rias also smiles.

"I see, then its okay. From today you will also be my servant, and I will have you work along with Issei under Kamito's instruction."

"Am I a drill sergeant or something?"

"Yes! I'm looking forward to it! I'll do my best!"

At Rias' words, one person expressed dismay while the other was brimming with excitement.

Kamito starts to feel uneasy about all this but Asia seems really energetic.

Then Kamito noticed the change on Asia.

"Asia, that uniform..."

At the moment, Asia is wearing the Kuoh Academy's girl uniform.

"D-Does it suit me...?"

Asia asks Kamito shyly.

"It suits you perfectly. You look really cute."

In the face of Kamito's straightforward words, Asia couldn't help but blush and stare at her feet nervously.

"Th-Thank you."

She is troubled as to how to react, but she honestly did look cute.

"I decided to make Asia attend our school. Since she is about the same age as you, she's also in 2nd year. I also made her in the same class as you. Today will be her first day, so make sure to look after her."

Rias explains it to Kamito.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure..."

Since he was going to be looking after her as a Devil anyways, might as well keep an eye on her at school too.

The fact that Asia was going to be his classmate doesn't surprise him.

Rather it's the most logical move and with all of Rias' connections, transferring Asia to his class was hardly a difficult task.

"I will be in your care, Kamito-san."

Asia bows her head.

At the idea of a cute blonde foreigner transferring into his class whom he's already good friends with, two possibilities occured in Kamito's mind.

(This could be a good experience for Asia.)

As well as...

(This could be really bad for me.)


End file.
